Week 1- assisted conception Flashcards
What is assisted conception treatment?
Any treatment which involves gametes outside of the body.
Why is demand for assisted conception treatment increasing?
Increasing parental age Increasing chlamydia Male factor infertility ACT more successful Bigger range of ACT
Other than parents struggling to have babies, when else may you use ACT?
Cancer patients- for preservation of eggs
Treatment to avoid transmission of blood borne viruses between patients
Treatment for single parents or same sex couples.
What advice is given to couples before they undergo ACT?
Females are limited to 4 units a week of alcohol.
BMI must be between 19-29
Stop smoking
Give 0.4mg folic acid from preconception-12 weeks gestation
Check if female is immune to rubella- if not immunise
Check cervical smears are up to date
Occupational factors- exposure to hazards
Drugs- prescribed, over the counter and recreational.
Screen for blood borne viruses
Assess ovarian reserve
Counselling
What ACT treatments are available?
Donor insemination Intra-uterine insemination In-vitro fertilisation Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection Fertility preservation Surrogacy
What indications are there for intrauterine insemination?
Sexual problems, unexplained infertility, mild or moderate endometriosis, mild male factor infertility
Describe the process of intrauterine insemination?
The sperm is inserted into the uterine cavity around the time of ovulation.
What indications are there for in-vitro fertilisation?
Unexplained infertility (> 2 years) Pelvic disease (endometriosis, tubal disease, fibroids) Anovulatory infertility (after failed ovulatory induction) Male factor infertility (if greater than 1 x10^6 motile sperm present)
Describe the down regulation stage in IVF?
Give a synthetic GnRH analogue or agonist. This reduces cancellation from ovulation and improves success rates. Allows precise timing of oocyte recover by using a HCG trigger.
A scan is also performed.
What side effects can be experienced in the down regulation stage of IVF?
Hot flushes and mood swings
Nasal irritation
Headaches
Describe the ovarian stimulation stage of IVF?
This occurs once you are happy the patient is down-regulated.
Then injections of gonadotrophins (FSH or LH) are given. Can be self-administered as a subcut injection.
This causes follicular development.
What is the mans semen assessed for in IVF treatment?
Volume
Density- numbers of sperm
Motility- what proportion of the sperm are moving
Progression- how well they move
What risks are there with oocyte collection in theatre?
Bleeding
Pelvic infection
Failure to collect oocytes
How do you select an egg in IVF?
In the embryological lab- they go through follicular fluid and identify eggs and the surrounding mass of cells. They collect them and incubate them.
How many eggs fertilise normally in IVF?
Approximately 60%.
Describe the hormones, egg release and development of the normal human embryo?
Normal LH surge
Egg is released 36 hours later
Fertilisation occurs in the ampulla normally.
By day 4 the morula is formed. By day 5 they differentiate into a blastocyst.
At what day does transfer and cryopreservation (cooling to low temps) occur?
Day 5.
When does implantation of the embryo into the uteral cavity occur in IVF?
Day 7.
How many embryos are usually transferred in IVF?
Usually 1- but a maximum of 3 in exceptional circumstances.
What support do you need to give patients once the fertilised eggs have been transferred?
Progesterone depositories for 2 weeks.
Pregnancy test 16days after oocyte extraction.
What are the indications for intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection?
Severe male factor infertility
Previous failed fertilisation with IVF
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis.
What do you do if the man has azoospermia in ICSI?
Surgical sperm aspiration- can be withdrawn from epidydimus if obstructive or testicular tissue if non-obstructive.
Describe the process of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection
The egg is stripped
The sperm is demobilised
The sperm is injected into the egg.
Incubated
What complications are associated with ART?
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
What is ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome?
Enlarged ovaries- due to excess follicles
What symptoms are associated with ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome?
Abdominal pain/bloating
Nausea/diarrhoea
Breathless
What treatment can be offered if ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome occurs before embryo transfer?
Electric freeze- freeze the embryos and wait 2-3 months to transfer them then.
Single embryo transfer
What treatment can be offered if ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome occurs after embryo transfer?
Monitoring with scans and bloods
Reduce risk of thrombosis- fluids, TED stockings, fragmin
Analgesia
Hospital admission if IV fluids are required.
What other issues are there with ART?
No eggs retrieved (however very uncommon)
Surgical risks of oocyte retrieval
Surgical risks of surgical sperm aspiration
Failed fertilisation
Problems in early pregnancy e.g. ectopic pregnancy
Increased risk in on-going pregnancy
Psychological problems
What determines our gender?
The presence/absence of a Y chromosome.
Even if you have one X, you are still a girl.
Describe the development of the internal reproductive tract?
The Y chromosome has the sex-determining region, causing the development of testis from the biopotential gonad.
Fetal testes secrete testosterone and mullerian inhibiting factors.
What are the two primitive genital tracts called?
Mullerian- produce female genital system
Wolffian- produce male genital system
If you are going to be female, what primitive tracts will be suppressed and which will be left?
Wolffian will be supressed
Mullerian will be allowed.
If you are going to be male, what primitive tracts will be suppressed and which will be left?
Mullerian will be surpressed
Wolffian will be allowed.