Written by Phyllis Leppert, MD, PhD
By necessity, the life cycle of all living things on earth includes reproduction. The life of cells, and whole organisms is a continuum from generation to generation. All cells are living and they grow and divide and produce other like cells. Reproduction produces a new organism. One mission of the Campion Fund is to inform and educate the non-scientist about the fundamental molecular biology of reproduction. These processes are highly complex. Aspects of these biological mechanisms are still being studied and thus our knowledge is constantly changing. Like all complex biological systems, human reproduction is not always perfect.
Everyone is capable of learning and appreciating the complexities of human reproduction. For some it will be simply understanding that the reproductive processes are complex, for others it might be to take a deep dive and read and study further. Reproduction is critical for the survival of humans on earth and it is vital that all of us understand the complex biology of pregnancy and birth. A glossary of terms is included in this educational blog. It is placed after the introduction so that the reader can become familiar with the terms prior to reading the material.