KA3- Biology of fertility control Flashcards
What type of fertility do males and females have?
Cyclical in females and continuous in males.
How do we know a female is in her fertile period?
Through her body temperature and thickness of cervical mucus. Her body temperature rises by around 0.5 degrees celcius after ovulation and her cervical mucus becomes thin and watery.
When is a female fertile?
Fertile period includes 1-2 days either side of ovulation.
What is infertility?
Infertility is the inability of a sexually active, non-contraceptive couple to achieve pregnancy in one year.
Why are some females infertile?
They are infertile due to failure to ovulate, which is caused by the failure of the pituitary gland to secrete FSH and LH.
How can infertility in females be treated?
It can be treated with drugs that mimic the action of FSH and LH or prevent the negative feedback of oestrogen on FSH secretion.
What can occur from the use of drugs for treating infertility in females?
Super ovulation, which results in multiple births or be use for IVF programmes.
Why are some males infertile?
They are infertile due to low sperm count, abnormal sperm, low motility.
What is artificial insemination?
Artificial insemination is the introduction of semen into the female reproductive tract by some means other than sex.
How is artificial insemination useful in treating male infertility?
It is useful when a male has low speed count. Several samples of semen are collected over a period of time and are placed inside the uterus, near an oviduct using a catheter.
How is artificial insemination useful in treating male infertility?
It is useful when a male has low speed count. Several samples of semen are collected over a period of time and are placed inside the uterus, near an oviduct using a catheter.
How is ICSI used in treating infertility in males?
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection can be used if mature sperm are defective or very low in number. It involves the head of a sperm being drawn into a needle and injected directly into the cytoplasm of the egg, to achieve fertilisation. It is used during IVF treatment.
What is pre implantation genetic screening?
This is not a specific approach, it checks the embryo for general gene disorders and common chromosomal abnormalities.
What is pre implantation genetic diagnosis?
This is a specific approach that is used to check for a known chromosomal or gene defect.
What is contraception?
Contraception is the intentional prevention of pregnancy by natural or artificial means.
