Human Reproductive Biology
MIT OpenCourseWare's graduate-level course covers the physiology and pathophysiology of human reproduction. Topics include the menstrual cycle, fertilization, implantation, ovum growth and differentiation, and associated developmental abnormalities. Lectures address disorders of fetal development, principles of teratology, and the mechanisms of normal and abnormal parturition, along with breast physiology and lactation disorders. Fetal asphyxia and technologies for its detection receive dedicated attention, as does the reproductive cycle's conclusion in menopause and the clinical use of hormone replacement therapy. Materials are drawn from MIT's Health Sciences and Technology division and include lecture notes and readings suited to students with a biology background. The course is free to audit through MIT OpenCourseWare, with no certificate offered, and gives a systematic grounding in reproductive endocrinology and pathology rather than a general overview.