ABSTRACT

The third smooth muscle organ to be considered in this chapter is the uterus. In terms of therapeutics, the most important aspect of the uterus is its role in pregnancy. Uterine contractions are influenced by a large number of factors, for example female reproduct­ ive hormones, locally produced prostaglandins and the sympathetic nervous system. All of these factors must interact to ensure that uterine contractions do not expel the embryo or fetus early in pregnancy, but do expel the fetus at full term. In some cases pharmacological intervention is required in order to facilitate the delivery of a healthy baby, by either inhibiting inappropriate uterine contractions or by initiating contractions.