The Biology Of Controlling Fertility Flashcards
True of false: males are continuously fertile due to relatively constant levels of pituitary hormones.
True.
True or false: females’ fertility is cyclical and the most fertile period is from a few days before until 1-2 days after ovulation.
True.
What may cause female infertility?
Failure to ovulate which is usually the result of a hormone imbalance.
What may stimulate ovulation?
Ovulatory or fertility drugs.
Some ovulatory drugs work by preventing the negative feedback effect of oestrogen on FSH secretion.
Name the effects of ovulatory drugs.
Some mimic the action of FSH and LH.
Ovulatory drugs can cause super ovulation, which can result in multiple births.
Ovulatory drugs can be used to collect ova for in vitro fertilisation.
What is artificial insemination?
A treatment in which semen is inserted into the female reproductive tract without intercourse having taken place.
Artificial insemination is particularly useful when the male has a low sperm count. It involves collecting and combining several samples of semen over a period of time.
What is IVF?
IVF involves the surgical removal of eggs from ovaries after hormone stimulation, mixing with sperm to achieve fertilisation, incubation of zygotes and uterine implantation.
What is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection?
ICSI can be used during IVF treatment, if mature sperm are defective or very low in number. ICSI involves the head of a sperm being injected directly into the egg to achieve fertilisation.
What is pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)?
PGD is used in conjunction with IVF to identify single gene disorders and chromosome abnormalities.
What is contraception?
The intentional prevention of pregnancy by natural or artificial methods. They act by preventing fertilisation or implantation. It includes chemical and physical methods.
What are physical methods of contraception?
Barrier methods, avoiding fertile periods, intrauterine devices and sterilisation procedures.
