2.
“medically defined as the inability to become pregnant
after twelve months of regular sexual intercourse
without birth control or, for women over age 35, six
months … and women who are unable to carry a
pregnancy to term” (reference book p. 475)
◦ This surprised me because I had previously thought being infertile
referred to premenopausal women who can not become pregnant, by
natural or un-natural means, I did not realized the inability to carry a
pregnancy to term was included.
1 out of every 10 women between the ages of 15 and
44 years old are infertile
3.
Social infertility refers to post menopausal women,
people who are single and same-sex couples who can
not have a child without utilizing fertility treatments or
adoption.
Secondary infertility refers to becoming infertile after
already being pregnant.
4. For women
Age
Improper Ovulation
Structural Problems in the Reproductive System
Poorly-working immune system
Cervical Fluid Problems
Luteal Phase Defects
For men
Birth Defect
Issues that develop over time
5.
As women age their ovaries carry less eggs and it
becomes harder for the ovaries to release the eggs
As a woman gets older she has greater chances of
having a miscarriage
The reproductive processes also slow down as women
age, however the rates at which this happen vary
6.
Can happen at any age
Symptoms of abnormal ovulation, although not
experienced by everyone, are
◦ Irregular menstruation
◦ No menstruation
Some causes of abnormal ovulation
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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI)
Thyroid disorders
Benign pituitary tumors
Excessive exercise
Diabetes
Weight loss
Obesity
Certain cancers and cancer medications
8.
Caused either by birth defects or issues that develop
overtime
90% of cases are because of a man’s sperm
◦ sperm count
◦ sperm mobility
◦ shape of the sperm
Varicocele- when testicular veins
become so large they increase the
temperature of the storm
Retrograde Ejaculationwhen a man ejaculates,
instead of making its
way out the urethra his
sperm moves
backwards to the
bladder
Examples that effect all three are reproductive
obstructions and testicular issues
9.
Drugs
Surgery
◦ Clomiphene citrate (clomid/serophene)
◦ Femara (letrozole)
◦ Follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH (follistim/fertinex/bravelle/gonalF/metrodin)
◦ Human menopausal gonadotropin, hMG
(pergonal/repronex/humegon/menopur)
◦ Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist, GnRH
(lupron/zoladex/synavel)
◦ Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (antagon/centrotide)
◦ Human chronic gonadotropin, hCG (pregnyl/novarel/ovidrel/profa
si)
◦ Progesterone
◦ Fix obstructions in the reproductive system
10.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies
◦ Procedures involving egg and sperm manipulation by a doctor in a
lab
◦ In vitro fertilization, IVF
Freezing of the eggs
◦ Retrieving and freezing unfertilized eggs outside of the body so the
female from which they were retrieved can use them later in life
Collaborative Reproduction a.k.a. 3rd Party Reproduction
◦ Using donor sperm or egg
◦ Surrogacy
Traditional- the woman carrying the baby also provided the eggs
Gestational-the woman carrying the baby did not provide the eggs and
has no biological connection to the child
11.
Different people grieve differently
Among the variety of emotions experienced many people
experience
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Guilt
Sadness
Self-doubt
Anger
Support
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Your partner
Friends
Family
Professional
12.
I happen to have a friend who is infertile due
to a genetic disorder, but is embarrassed by
her infertility and does not like to tell or talk
about it with people. If you were infertile
would you be embarrassed?