Fertility Flashcards
Define infertility.
A disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.
Define primary infertility.
When a woman is unable to ever bear a child, either due to the inability to become pregnant or the inability to carry a pregnancy to a live birth she would be classified as having primary infertility.
Define secondary infertility.
When a woman is unable to bear a child, either due to the inability to become pregnant or the inability to carry a pregnancy to a live birth following either a previous pregnancy or a previous ability to carry a pregnancy to a live birth.
What are the causes of female infertility? (4)
Ovulatory Disorders
Tubal Damage
Uterine/peritoneal disorders
Unexplained infertility
How many % of cases of infertility have male factors?
How many have both female and male factors?
30%
40%
What are the three types of ovulatory disorders that cause infertility?
Type 1: Hypopituitary Failure (e.g. due to anorexia nervosa)
Type 2: Hypopituitary Dysfunction (eg PCOS, hyperprolactinaemia)
Type 3: Ovarian Failure (premature if under 40 yrs)
What are polycystic ovaries?
10 or more follicles per ovary on ultrasound
What are the diagnostic criteria for PCOS? (3)
Clinical hyperandrogenaemia
Oligomenorrhoea
Polycystic ovaries on ultrasound
What are the signs and symptoms of PCOS?
Menstrual disturbance (oligomenorrhoea, amenorrhoea, DUB) Infertility Hirsutism Acne Male-pattern hair loss Central obesity Acanthosis nigricans
What can be seen on the blood test results in those with PCOS?
Raised LH with normal FSH Raised Testosterone (with or without reduced SHBG)
What are the differential diagnoses for PCOS that must be excluded? (4)
Thyroid dysfunction
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Hyperprolactinaemia
Androgen-secreting tumours
How does PCOS affect metabolism?
Abnormal serum lipid concentrations
Insulin resistance
Increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus
What are the tubal/uterine causes of infertility? (5)
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Previous tubal Surgery Endometriosis (tubal and uterine) Fibroids (uterine) Cervical mucus defect
Pelvic inflammatory disease - how many % develop tubal infertility after 1 episode? How many after 3 episodes?
More than 10%
50%
What are the symptoms of an acute PID episode? (5)
Pelvic pain Deep dyspareunia Malaise Fever Purulent vaginal discharge
What causes chronic PID?
Inadequately treated acute PID
How is PID managed?
Rest
Abstinence
Antibiotics
What can be found on examination of PID?
Cervical excitation
Adnexal tenderness
Discharge
Pyrexia
What investigations are done for PID?
Smear - microscopy, culture and sensitivies plus chlamydia
FBC - raised ESR
What is endometriosis?
Presence of tissue histologically similar to endometrium outside the uterine cavity and myometrium (most commonly found in the pelvis).
Pain, dysmenorrhoea, menorrhagia, dyspareunia
Ex: pelvic tenderness or mass, fixed uterus.
Note laporoscopic findings common and don’t correlate to pain.
What are the risk factors for endometriosis? (3)
Increased risk with age, frequent cycles, family history