Infertility & Assisted Reproductive Therapies Flashcards
Review of course work notes, know at least 2 reasons of infertility aetiology, pathophysiology, S&S, review ARTs and understand how they may be used in infertility, how/why might one ART be used to help overcome infertility
WHOs definition of infertility:
Failure to conceive after two years of unprotected intercourse.
Primary infertility =
Pregnancy has NEVER occurred
Secondary infertility =
Pregnancy has occurred but no live birth has been documented.
Fecundability vs fecundity
Fecundability is the probability of conception per cycle.
Fecundity is the probability of conception in one cycle and the ability to achieve live birth.
Classical causes of infertility
Ovulation disorders Uterine cavity abnormalities Uterine cervix abnormalities Oligospermia Sperm antibodies Unexplained infertility
Risk factors of infertility:
Age is a major factor. Exercise (over-exercise) Cigarette smoking Illicit drug use Environmental factors (noise, dry cleaning chemicals, mercury etc)
Investigations and management of infertility: Fallopian tubes
Fallopian tubes must be patent to allow fertility.
Fimbriae at the end of the tube must be able to move freely over the ovarian surface to capture the oocyte after ovulation.
In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is often the only means of achieving pregnancy for women with blocked or damaged fallopian tubes. Whereby eggs and sperm are extracted and left in a dish to fertilise. If successful, the embryo is placed into the females uterus called ‘embryo transfer’.
