Fertility and Subfertility Flashcards
When should investigations be offered to couples trying for a baby?
Only after 1 year of trying
What are the causes of subfertility?
- Ovulatory problems
- Male problems
- Tubal problems
- Coital problems
- Unexplained
What are the ovulatory causes of infertility?
- PCOS
- Hypothalamic hypogonadism - reduction in GnRH, reduced LH and FSH
- Kallmann’s syndrome - GnRH neurones fail to develop
- Pituitary causes - hyperprolactinaemia, pituitary damage (radiotherapy, Sheehan’s syndrome)
- Primary ovarian insufficiency - high FSH, low LH, can’t conceive with own eggs.
- Hypo/hyperthyroidism
- Androgen secreting tumours
What are the treatment options for subfertility in PCOS?
- Weight loss
- Clomiphene/metformin, then combine them
- Gonadotrophin induction of ovulation
- Ovarian diathermy
- IVF
What is the treatment of subfertility in hypothalamic hypogonadism and in what conditions is it common?
- Restoration of body weight
2. Anorexia nervosa, diets, athletes, high stress
What is the treatment for subfertility in Kallmann’s syndrome?
GnRH pump, if not wanting fertility then bone protection with COCP.
What is the treatment for subfertility in hyperprolactinaemia?
Cabergoline
What are the tubal/fertilisation causes of subfertility?
- PID (especially due to chlamydia)
2. Endometriosis
How do you test for tubal patency in subfertility?
Laparoscopy + dye test/HSG (+X-ray)/HyCoSy
What is the treatment of subfertility in PID?
- May respond to tubal catheterisation (increased ectopic risk)
- If adhesions present - adhesiolysis
- If conception does not occur - IVF
What is the treatment for subfertility in endometriosis?
- Laparoscopic surgery to remove endometriotic deposits
2. IVF next step if surgery fails
What is the process of analysing a semen sample in male subfertility?
- Last ejaculation occurring 2-7 days previously
- Sample must be analysed within 1-2 hours of production
- An abnormal analysis must be repeated 12 weeks later
What are the different types of male infertility?
- Low sperm count - oligozoospermia
- Low sperm motility - asthenozoospermia
- Abnormal sperm shape - teratozoospermia
- No sperm - azoospermia
What are the different causes of male infertility?
- Idiopathic oligospermia and asthenozoospermia (85%)
- Alcohol, smoking, steroids
- Varicocele
- Anti-sperm antibodies (vasectomy reversal)
- Mumps orchiditis, Klinefelter’s XXY, congenital absence of vas deferens, Kallmann’s, hyperprolactinaemia, retrograde ejaculation.
How is suspected male infertility investigated?
- ED? Undescended testes? Mumps as an adult?
- Examine for secondary sexual characteristics - testicular volume 15+ml, gynaecomastia.
- Test for - FSH, LH, testosterone, PRL, TSH
- Karyotype for 47XXY
- Men with azoospermia - examine for presence of vas deferens and test for CF