Female Infertility Introduction Flashcards
(11 cards)
Infertility is formally defined as
“a failure to achieve a desired pregnancy after a couple has engaged in unprotected intercourse for a year or more”.
Primary infertility describes couples that
have never conceived.
Secondary infertility describes those that
have a history of pregnancy but are now failing to conceive.
The chance of conception per ovulatory cycle is estimated to be about
20%.
After 1 year of unprotected intercourse, about _______% of couples will have failed to initiate a pregnancy.
7
Abnormal function of the menstrual cycle, through disruption of the normal pattern of
hormone production and regulation may result in female infertility.
The time taken to conceive naturally and a couple’s fecundity vary considerably, depending on
woman’s age and a variety of other factors.
A young woman (<25 years old) can, on average, expect to conceive after
only 2 or 3 months of attempting pregnancy.
In general, it takes about ______ or ________ months for most couples to achieve a pregnancy.
5, 6
Infertility may be ____________or ___________. The incidence of childlessness due to infertility alone is difficult to determine.
voluntary, involuntary
Recent trends towards later age at marriage, later childbearing, and higher levels of separation have contributed to rising levels of childlessness. Higher academic and professional qualifications among women and greater access to contraception are also likely to be contributory factors. Furthermore, study design can also impact the estimate of childlessness. For example,
a study that relies on a relatively short duration of infertility is likely to overestimate the extent of the problem. It has been suggested that between 14% and 24% of couples remain childless but it is thought that only about 10% experience difficulties in conceiving or in having a child.
