Infertility Flashcards
A rise in which STI is contributing to infertility?
Chlamydia
What is the definition of infertility?
Failure to become pregnant after 12 or more months of regular unprotected sex
What is primary infertility?
Infertility in a couple who have never conceived
What is secondary infertility?
Inferility in a couple who have previously conceived
What are the main physiological causes for infertility?
- Pregnancy
- Before puberty
- Lactation
- Menopausal
What are the main gynaecological conditions which cause inferility?
- Hypothalmic - Anorexia/bulimia, excessive exercise
- Pituitary - Hyperprolactinaemia, tumours, Sheehan syndrome
- Ovarian - PCOS, premature ovarian failure
Besides physiological and gynaecological conditions, what else may cause infertility?
- Systemic disorders e.g. CKD
- Endocrine disorders e.g. Testosterone secreting tumours, CAH, thyroid problems
- Drugs e.g. Depo-provera (medroxyprogesterone), explanon, OCP
Anorexia is defined as a BMI of less than what?
18.5
What are the key clinical features of anorexia nervosa?
- Loss of hair
- Increased lanugo
- Low pulse
- Low Bp
- Anaemia
- Halitosis
What is lanugo?
Fine soft hair on the skin
What are the endocrine markers of anorexia nervosa?
Low FSH/LH/Oestradiol
Which condition may be brought on by a low oestradiol in anorexia nervosa?
Osteoporosis
What is the most common endocrine disorder in women?
PCOS
What are the main clinical features of PCOS?
- Obesity
- Hirsutism
- Acne
- Cycle abnormalities
- Infertility
What are the endocrine markers of PCOS?
- High free androgens
- High LH, Low FSH
- High oestrogen
- Impaired glucose tolerance
Which criteria are used to diagnose PCOS and what are they?
Rotterdam criteria
- Chronic anovulation
- Polycyctic ovaries*
- Hyperandrogenism (clinical or biochemical)
(2/3 are required)
*At least one ovary must have at least 12 follicles between 2-8 mm in a single plane. These can be uni or bilateral
What may cause premature ovarian failure?
- Idiopathic
- Genetic (Turner’s syndrome)
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- Oophorectomy (ovary removal)
What are the clinical features of premature ovarian failure?
- Hot flushes
- Night sweats
- Atrophic vaginitis
What are the endocrine markers of prematrure ovarian failure?
- High FSH
- High LH
- Low oestradiol
What is a hydrosalpinx?
A distally blocked Fallopian tube filled with clear or serous fluid
What is endometriosis?
Presence of endometrial glands outwith the uterine cavity
What are the main causes for endometriosis?
- Retrograde menstruation
- Altered immune function
- Abnormal cellular adhesion molecules
- Genetic causes
Upon USS, what classic sign will endometriosis have on the ovaries?
Characteristic “chocolate” cysts

What are the key clinical features of endometriosis?
- Dysmenorrhoea (painful menstruation)
- Dysparenunia (pain during sex)
- Menorrhagia (abnormally heavy periods)
- Painful defaecation
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Uterus may be fixed and retroverted
- Chocolate ovarian cysts
- Infertility
- Asymptomatic
What can cause non-obstructive infertility in males?
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- Klinefelter’s syndrome
- Undescended testes
- Idiopathic
What are the endocrine markers for non-obstructive male inferility?
- High LH/FSH
- Low testosterone
What can cause obstructive male infertility?
- Congenital absence of Vas deferens (sign of cystic fibrosis)
- Infection
- Vasectomy
What are the endocrine markers for obstructive male infertility?
Normal LH/FSH/Testosterone
How can tubal patency be established in females?
- Hysterosalpingiogram (no known risk factors or tubal pathology)
- Laparoscopy (known risk factors and/or tubal pathology)
- Hysteroscopy (suspected or knopwn endometrial pathology)
Which biochemical tests would be carried out if a patient presented with an anovulatory cycle or infrequent periods?
- Urine HCG
- Prolactin
- TSH
- Testosterone and SHBG
- LH/FSH/Oestradiol
When analysing semen, how many times must samples be examined and how long between samples?
2 times, 6 weeks apart
Which biochemical tests would be carried out in a male had an abnormal semen analysis?
- LH/FSH
- Testosterone
- Prolactin
- Thyroid function
When investigating a female for infertility, blood will be checked for immunity to what?
Rubella
Which investigations would be undertaken for a female who may be infertile?
- Chlamydia swab
- Cervical smear (if due)
- Midluteal progesterone level (or 7 days prior to expected period) - >30nmol/l suggests ovulation
- In anovulatory - early follicular hormone profile for blood LH, FSH, E2, Testosterone, FAI, Prolactin and TSH
What is the classic triad of symptoms associated with congenital rubella syndrome?
- Sensorineural deafness
- Eye abnormalities e.g. cataracts
- Congenital heart disease (especially pulmonary artery stenosis and patent ductus arteriosus)
Other symptoms include:
- Thrombocytopenic purpura
- Microcephaly
Under which 3 categories does the WHO define ovulatory disorders?
- Group 1 - Hypothalmic
- Group 2 - Hypothalmic-pituitary dysfunction
- Group 3 - Ovarian failure
Hyperprolactinaemia can also cause ovulatory disorders
Give examples of group 1 hypothalmic ovulatory disorders
- Stress
- Excessive exercise
- Anorexia nervosa
- Kallman’s syndrome
- Isolated gonadotrophin deficiency

What are the biochemical findings for group 1 ovulatory disorders?
- Low FSH
- Low oestrogen
- Normal prolactin
- Negative progesterone challenge
Give examples of group 2 hypothalmic-pituitary dysfunction
PCOS
What are the biochemical findings for group 2 ovulatory disorders?
- Normogonadotrophic
- Normoestrogenic
- Increased LH to FSH ratio (normally 1:1, but can be up to 3:1)
What are the key biochemical findings in group 3 ovulatory disorders?
- High gonadotrophins (LH and FSH)
- Low Oestrogen
What is the most common cause of anovulatory infertility?
PCOS
What is the first line treatment to induce ovulation?
- Antioestrogens - Clomifene citrate, Tamoxifen
- Aromatase inhibitors - Letrozole
How is Clomifene citrate taken?
Between days 2 and 6 of the menstrual cycle (5 days, once daily)
What are the second line options for induction of ovulation in those with PCOS?
- Clomifene citrate + metformin (improves sensitivity)
- Gonadotrophin therapy (daily injections)
- Laparoscopic ovarian diathermy
If a male had severely abnormal or azoospermic samples, which tests would be undertaken?
- Endocrine profile
- Chromosome analysis
- Cystic fibrosis screen
What are main general causes for male infertility?
- Idiopathic
- Obstructive causes (vasectomy, infection, congenital absecence of vas deferens)
- Non-obstructive causes (undescended testes, orchitis, torsion or trauma, Klinefelter’s, Y chromosome microdeletions)
- Hormonal (hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, hyperprolactinaemia, testicular cancer)
- Others (varicocele, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, erectile dysfunction, immunological)
How may male infertility be treated?
- Surgery to obstructed vas deferens
- Intrauterine insemination
- Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
- Surgical sperm aspiration from epididymis/testicle then ICSI
- Donor sperm
To aid with infertility what dose of folic acid should be administered?
- 0.4mg/day preconception
- 5mg/day when increased risk of neural tube defects
In order to become pregant a BMI below __ is ideal
In order to become pregant a BMI below 29 is ideal
(ideal range 19-29)