Infertility
Infertility is the inability to produce children.
Male Infertility (one cause)
Male infertility is the inability to fertilise an egg cell.
Low sperm, low testosterone level, high percentage of abnormal sperm, testis temperature is too high.
In-vitro fertilisation can be attempted if other corrective measures do not work.
Female Infertility (one cause)
Female infertility is the inability to conceive – fertilisation failure or implantation failure.
Egg cell formation or ovulation may not occur due to hormone imbalance.
The egg cell may not be able pass to the uterus due to blockage of the Fallopian tubes.
Treatment with hormones may be successful.
In-vitro fertilisation and implantation is often used to treat female infertility.
In-vitro Fertilisation and Implantation
Hormone treatment induces the female to mature many Graafian follicles.
The egg cells are extracted from the follicles.
The eggs cells are fertilised in a glass container. (in-vitro = in glass).
A few days later one or more normal pre-embryos are placed into the female’s uterus.
The placement is timed to coincide with normal implantation time in the female reproductive cycle.
Menstrual Disorder
Fibroids is an example of a menstrual disorder.
Description
Fibroids are noncancerous growths in the wall of the uterus.
The growths vary in size from microscopic to melon size.
Heavy or prolonged menstruation can result from fibroids.
Cause
no know cause
may be induced by oestrogen
Prevention
no known preventative measure
Treatment
treatment is unnecessary for most cases
hormone therapy can be used to shrink the fibroids
surgically removed can be carried out if symptoms are severe
Family Planning
Family planning is a conscious action to control the number of and interval between children.
Contraception is the deliberate prevention of fertilisation or implantation.
Natural Methods
Abstinence: no sexual intercourse. 0% failure rate.
Temporary abstinence: no sexual intercourse during the most fertile period of the menstrual cycle: 24% failure rate.
Withdrawal: penis is removed from the vagina before ejaculation: 25% failure rate.
Male Contraceptive Methods
Condom: a thin impermeable sheath covering the penis; semen cannot be deposited in the vagina: 10% failure rate.
Vasectomy: cutting, sealing or tying off the sperm ducts; sperm will not be in the semen: 0.4% failure.
Female Contraceptive Methods
Cervix Barriers: diaphragm or cap – prevents sperm entering the uterus: 15% failure rate.
Intrauterine Devices (IUD): these are plastic or metal loops or coils, prevents implantation: 5% failure rate.
Oral contraceptive pill: prevents ovulation as the follicles do not mature 6% failure rate.
Spermicides: these chemicals are placed in the vagina to kill sperm: 20% failure rate.
Tubal ligation: the Fallopian tubes are cut and sealed preventing sperm and egg cells meeting: 0.4% failure rate.
The % failure rate is the number of sexually active females out of a hundred who will become pregnant within a year.