Fertility and Pregnancy - Female and Male Fertility Flashcards
What is the definition of infertility?
Lack of pregnancy after one year of unprotected intercourse. If over age 36, investigations begin after 6 months.
What percentage of couples conceive naturally within one year with regular intercourse?
About 84% of couples.
What is the estimated number of UK couples with difficulty conceiving?
One in seven couples.
What proportion of couples are turning to ART such as IVF?
One in six couples.
How does moderate exercise affect fertility?
Improves circulation and insulin resistance, increasing likelihood of conception.
How does intensive exercise affect female fertility?
Raises cortisol = ↓ progesterone, interferes with FSH and LH, causes ovulatory disorders and luteal phase dysfunction.
What fertility issue is associated with excessive exercise in males?
Oligospermia (low sperm count).
How does stress affect fertility?
Inhibits GnRH, downregulates LH and FSH, prioritizes cortisol over progesterone, disrupts gonadal function.
Which hormones are released during stress that impact fertility?
Cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.
How does age impact female fertility?
Oocyte number and quality diminish; risk of chromosomal abnormalities, poor development, implantation failure, miscarriage increases.
How does age impact male fertility?
Sperm morphology and motility tend to decline.
What is the risk of chromosomal abnormality at age 20, 30, and 40+?
1:500 at 20; 1:400 at 30; 1:60 at 40+.
What is MTHFR and how does it affect fertility?
It’s a folate-metabolizing enzyme; C677T polymorphism leads to poor folate metabolism and higher homocysteine.
What fertility risks are associated with poor methylation due to MTHFR polymorphism?
Poor egg maturity/quality, ↑ oestrogen, neural tube defects, pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension.
How does the MTHFR C677T polymorphism affect male fertility?
↓ fertility via DNA hypomethylation and impaired sperm maturation.
What foods are rich in folate?
Dark leafy greens, asparagus, avocado, Brussels sprouts, legumes, poultry.
What is recommended for those with MTHFR polymorphism instead of folic acid?
Methylated folate supplement.
What foods are rich in vitamin B12?
Chlorella, nutritional yeast, nori, kombu, fish, eggs, meat, liver.
What does a methylated B12 supplement support?
HCl and pancreatic enzyme levels.
What foods are rich in vitamin B6?
Whole grains, green vegetables, sunflower seeds, pistachios, liver, turkey, fish.
What is vitamin B2’s role in methylation?
Essential for FAD, a cofactor for MTHFR.
What foods are rich in vitamin B2?
Mushrooms, spinach, soybeans, beet greens, tempeh, almonds, avocado, liver, venison, eggs.
What foods are rich in methionine?
Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, beans, whole grains, beef, eggs, chicken, turkey, fish.
How many fertility issues are attributed to males?
Four out of ten fertility issues.
