Infertility- Male and Female Flashcards
What is fertility
Ability of producing offspring
What is sterility
Absolute Inability to producing offspring
Subfertility
Less than average ability to produce offspring
What is Infertility
Infertility is not sterility
In humans infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant (conceive) after one year (or longer) of unprotected sex
Good definitions don’t exist for all veterinary species
Infertility is, in part, a factor of the breeder’s expectations of the outcome following a mating
How can infertility be classified
Anatomical, physiological, and management causes (used in female PIE)
Obstructive, non-obstructive, coital (used in humans)
Inability to achieve coitus, inability to fertilise
4 examples of anatomical reasons for infertility in the female which are present at birth/ puberty/ first breeding
Ovarian hypoplasia
Reproductive dysplasia
Free-martinism / Inter-sex- Ambiguous genitalia with spectrum of gonadal types
Persistence of hymen (mare)
4 examples of acquired reasons for infertility in the female
Adhesions (e.g. Ovario-bursal, hydrosalphinx)
Endometrial fibrosis
Cystic endometrial hyperplasia (bitch)
Reproductive tract neoplasia (uncommon)
3 main causes of physiological in(sub)fertility
Ovarian Pathology- anovulatory anoestrus, cystic ovarian disease, persistent CL
Uterine infection- Pyometra, endometritis, metritis
Failure to establish pregnancy
presentation and causes of a pathological ovary
- Presentation:
Oestrus not observed
Pregnancy diagnosis
Persistent oestrus
Irregular oestrous cycle
Important to understand reproductive expectations - Causes:
Lack of follicular growth / oestradiol
Lack of an LH surge
Lack of GnRH / gonadotrophin
Lack of endometrial PGF2A production
Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of a Pathological Ovary
Clinical diagnosis:
Hormone analysis i.e. progesterone
Ovarian (uterine) palpation
Ovarian (and uterine) ultrasonography – range of presentation from small, inactive ovaries to gross enlarged follicular structure
Treatment:
Promote ovarian function i.e. gonadotrophin via GnRH / eCG
Mimic luteal phase (with progesterone)
Induce luteinisation (ovulation) via GnRH / LH
Induce luteolysis (if luteal tissue is present)
Likely to re-occur
Reproductive Tract Infection as cause of infertility
Ovaritis is very rare
Endometritis, cervicitis, vaginitis common in cows, mares and dogs
May be sub-clinical
Typical time of presentation:
Post-partum (associated with retained fetal membranes
Post-mating- sow, bitch ,mare
Significant cause of subfertility
Adverse affects on ovarian function
Reduced conception / pregnancy establishment
Treatment:
Antibiotics
Stimulation of uterine contractions
Causes of infectious infertility
Many commensal organisms
Venereal pathogens: AI has reduced transmission
Bovine venereal campylobacterosis
Infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IPV/IBR)
Contagious equine metritis
Systemic infections
e.g. BVD, IBR, BHV1
Raised temperature
3 ways to manage infertiilty
Oestrus detection- rate and accuracy
Timing of mating/ AI in relation to ovulation
Number of mating (queen)
Expectations
Ram:ewe ratio
Early induction of oestrus (season; transition period)
Lactation and time of weaning (sows)
Lower fertility at foal heat
Voluntary waiting period (cows)
Stress
Handling / transportation
Heat stress
Repeated inappropriate hormonal treatments
Influence of Energy/metabolic status in female infertility
e.g. anovulatory anoestrus, second litter syndrome
Pass energy balance nadir
Reduced gonadotrophin / IGF1 levels
Vitamin / mineral deficiencies / toxicities
Copper / molybdenum / Selenium
Management of pregnant / transition animal
Oestrogenic substances in plants
Dietary proteins
Increased urea
