Exam 3 - Infertility, ART, and Stats Flashcards
What is the definition of infertility? What percent of the population is affected?
inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected intercourse
12% of the reproductive age population
What percent of cases are female factor? What are some female factors of infertility?
40-50% of cases
Ovulatory dysfunction * Tubal factor * Endometriosis * Advanced maternal age * Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) * Luteal phase defect * Toxic insult * Uterine abnormality * Genetic disorder (e.g., Turner syndrome) * Infection
What percent of cases are male factor? What are some male factors of infertility?
30-40% of cases
Testicular injury * Primary testicular failure * Varicocele (varicose vein that alters testicular temperature and sperm production)
* Infection * Impotence * Spinal cord injury
What percent of cases have combined male and female factors?
30%
What percent of cases are idiopathic? What does that mean?
20%, infertility is unexplained
What two ways can female fertility be assessed?
Day 3 Labs, and Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)
Explain how Day 3 Labs can be used to assess female fertility
FSH measured on Day 3 of menstrual cycle
AMH can be measured on any day of the cycle
What do the different levels of FSH on Day 3 indicate?
Explain the level seen in the postmenopausal stage.
Follicular: 2.5 – 10.2
Midcycle: 3.4 – 33.4
Luteal: 1.5 – 9.1
Pregnant: < 0.2
Postmenopausal: 23.0 – 116.3 (follicle depletion means less E production, and stimulation of more FSH)
What do the different levels of AMH on Day 3 indicate?
Infertile: < 0.8
Low fertility: 0.8 – 2.0
Normal fertile range: 2.0 – 6.0
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: > 6.0
high levels indicate more pre-antral follicles, low indicates follicle depletion
What D3 FSH and AMH levels indicate a poor prognosis?
FSH >10 and AMH <0.8
What is a hysterosalpingogram, and what will it show in regards to assessing fertility?
xray with contrast dye to determine i the tubes are open or blocked
if the dye is diffuse at the fimbriae, the tubes are normal
if the dye is not spreading that indicates the tubes are not open
How is male fertility assessed? What are the normal ranges for the various parameters?
semen analysis to assess if the sample is sufficient for natural conception
volume >2 mL
liquefaction <60 minutes
viscosity moderate to low
concentration >20 million
motility >50%
morphology >15%
What are oligospermia and azospermia?
oligospermia is <20 million
azospermia is no sperm in the ejaculate
How are most infertility cases treated? What are some examples?
85-90% treated with conventional medical therapies such as dietary modification, exercise, medication, or surgery
ex:
progesterone to treat luteal phase defect
metformin and exercise for PCOS
fertility drugs for ovulation induction (used for IUI)
surgical removal of uterine polyps or septum
What is a polyp vs a septum and why do they cause infertility issues?
polyp- noncancerous growth attached to the endometrium that extends into the uterine cavity
septum - wedge like partition within the uterine cavity
polyps can irritate the endometrium causing inflammation that prevents implantation, and the septum doesn’t have vascularization so they embryo can’t survive if it lands there
What medication can we use to prevent follicle atresia, and when should it be administered?
FSH, given days 5-10
What is the goal of IUI? What are the 4 main components?
goal: to get 2-3 good follicles
- controlled ovarian stimulation
- transvaginal ultrasound
- trigger ovulation at the appropriate time
- intrauterine insemination
What are the goals of ovarian stimulation for IUI?
increase FSH and LH secretion during the early mid-follicular phase
stimulate follicle growth
permit more than one follicle to mature/rescue follicles from atresia
What medications can be used for ovarian stimulation during IUI? What do they each do?
clomiphene citrate (Clomid):
estrogen antagonist blocks negative feedback increasing FSH and LH secretion, may change quality of cervical mucus/endometrium
letrozole (Femara):
aromatase inhibitor, prevent ovarian conversion of androgens to estrogens, lower E permits more FSH and LH secretion (can also impact endometrium but less impact)
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH):
directly stim. follicle development, low doses (75 IU for 3 days), stimulates growth of 2-3 follicles, some brands are purified from menopausal females but others are recombinant hFSH
How is FSH different from clomid or femara in ovarian stimulation?
it is injected instead of an oral pill
must be injected because it is a glycoprotein and would be digested if it was taken orally
What is the purpose of transvaginal ultrasound during IUI?
determine number and size of lead follicles
cancel the cycle if there are too many
On transvaginal ultrasound, what are the ideal conditions for LH surge/ovulation to be triggered?
lead follicle will be 15-18 mm
endometrium will be 6-10 mm thick
Explain how ovulation is triggered for IUI? How long after the trigger does ovulation occur?
mimic the LH surge to stimulate ovulation
hCG (purified from urine of pregnant females or recombinant hCG) because it is structurally like LH but has a longer half life
ovulation occurs approx. 36 hours after the hCG injection
Explain the actual IUI step of the IUI process. What is placed into the uterus?
washed sperm (to remove prostaglandins) are placed in the uterus by catheter just prior to the expected time of ovulation
Summarize the IUI cycle
patient calls with Day 1 of their menstrual period
E2 antagonist, aromatase inhibitor, and FSH given days 3-7
ultrasound day 10
hCG trigger day 12
IUI day 14
pregnancy test day 28
Explain the success rates of IUI
max 20% pregnancy rate for females <24, declines to only 3% for females >43
What is ART?
any procedure where both sperm and oocytes are handled outside the body
What is the basic IVF procedure? How many babies are ART births each year?
sperm and egg are combined in a laboratory dish, and if fertilization occurs, the embryos are transferred to the uterus where one or more may implant and develop
2% of all births are ART babies
Describe the first IVF success, the first in the US, and who was the doctor who recieved a Nobel Prize for IVF?
Louise Brown, first test tube baby born in Britain in 1978
First IVF baby in the US was born in 1981
Robert G Edwards won the Nobel Prize in 2010
What is the main goal and the 7 steps of IVF?
goal: 8-15 good follicles
- controlled ovarian stimulation
- prevent premature ovulation
- trigger LH surge when appropriate
- egg retrieval
- fertilization
- embryo culture
- fresh embryo transfer