The Sexual-Reproductive System Flashcards
Infertility
The inability to conceive a child after trying for at least a year
Menopause
Usually around age 50, when a woman’s menstrual periods cease and the production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone drops.
Menopause is dated one year after a woman’s last menstrual period, although many months before and after that date are menopausal.
Hormone replacement therapy
Taking hormones (in pills, patches, or injections) to compensate for hormone reduction. HRT is most common in women at menopause or after removal of the ovaries, but it is also used by men as their testosterone decreases. HRT has some medical uses but also carries health risks.
Andropause
A term coined to signify a drop in testosterone levels in older men, which typically results in reduced sexual desire, erections, and muscle mass. (Also called male menopause.)
How does sexual arousal change with age?
Arousal occurs more slowly with age and orgasm takes longer. For some couples, these slowdowns are counterbalanced by reduced anxiety and better communication, as partners become more familiar with their own bodies and those of their mates.
How does contraception vary from culture to another?
In the US, some form of contraception is used by about 90% of sexually active women of every ethnic group, but it is rarely used in Japan, for example.
Sterilization is more common in other cultures such as India, but only among women - Indian men almost never have vasectomies.
In the US, sterilization is common after age 35, even among men, 20% of whom have had vasectomies.
How are male and female sexual behaviours similar and not similar?
Some evidence suggests that sex is more important for men than for women well into adulthood, but women’s desire may be inhibited by reluctance to become pregnant with another baby.
While both men and women are aroused by sexual images, men are more likely to view pornography.
However, men and women are equally capable of vast ranges of sexuality and sexual satisfaction.
What impairs fertility in men and in women?
Anything that impairs physical functioning- disease, smoking, sedentary behaviour, extreme dieting, and obesity.
Many infertile women do not realize that they have pelvic inflammatory disease which creates scar tissue that may block the fallopian tubes, preventing sperm from reaching an ovum.
What are the effects of menopause?
Ovulation and menstruation cease.
Sexual desire and frequency of intercourse decrease, and erratic moods and depression may increase.
However, many women are relieved that menstruation and the possibility of pregnancy are over.
How do male changes in sexual behaviours differ from female ones?
In women, sexual desires maybe hampered by hormonal changes due to menopause. Reduced testosterone and inactivity can also affect male sexual desire, but HRT for men can mitigate those effects, whereas in women HRT can lead to other health problems.
While men are more likely than women to view pornography, their viewing rates decline with age, perhaps due to decreased testosterone.
What are the consequences of HRT in women?
While HRT may help reduce symptoms of menopause and osteoporosis, HRT may increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer in women.
