Infertility Flashcards
How does fertility change with age?
Declines with age due to ovarian egg reserve declining
What are the different steps of conception?
- Ovulation
- Sperm production
- Fertilisation
- Implantation
Descibe the hypothalmo-pituitary gonadal axis?
Describe the ovulation cycle?
What are the two phases of the ovarian cycle?
Follicular phase
Luteal phase
Describe the hormonal control for male reproduction?
What does FSH act on in males and what effect does it have?
Spermatogonia in seminiferous tubules of testes, causing spermatogenesis
What does LH act on in males and what effect does it have?
Leydig or interstitial cells of testis, causing formation of androgens (testosterone)
Normal conception relies on?
- Functioning hormonal axis and gonads
- Ovarian reserve
- Regular ovulation
- Normal sperm production
- Fertilisation
- Egg and sperm interaction
- Patent fallopian tubes
- Normal uterine cavity for implantation
What lifestyle factors impact ferility?
- Age
- BMI
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Recreational drug use
- Stress
What is inferility?
Infertility = inability to conceive over a 12 month period despite regular exposure to unprotected intercourse
Infertility is describe as being over what period?
12 months
Describe the epidemiology of inferility (% of woman affected and fraction of couples in Western world)?
- 10% of woman are effected
- 1/7 couples in western world are affected
When should people be referred for infertility clinic?
- No conception after one year of regular unprotected intercourse
- Refer earlier if
- Age > 35 years
- Known cause for infertility
Describe the aetiology of female inferility?
- Ovulatory dysfunction (most common)
- Diminishing ovarian reserve
- Endometriosis
- Uterine factor
- Tubal factor