YOU ARE LEARNING:
Infertility
Infertility
For some people, conceiving a child is difficult. Many factors can contribute to infertility - some reversible, some not. If infertility can't be treated, other methods of getting pregnant can be explored.
When people are younger, often a lot of emphasis is put on not getting pregnant. Unfortunately, however, when the time comes that people do want to have children, some people struggle to get pregnant.
Do you think both men and women can struggle with fertility?
Infertility is described as the inability to conceive a child after 12 months or more of regular unprotected intercourse.
In men, which of these do you think can cause infertility?
You can select multiple answers
Some causes of infertility, such as stress and sperm tube blockages, can be resolved. However, if a man has a low sperm count due to genetics, nothing can really change this.
But low sperm count is not always due to genetics. For example, smoking might cause reduced sperm count. Would that be reversible?
In women, which of these do you think can cause infertility?
You can select multiple answers
Which hormones do you think cause infertility in women if they are imbalanced?
Some women struggle to become pregnant because they do not produce enough FSH and LH to cause an egg to mature and be released from the ovaries.
Do you think these imbalances can be resolved?
Which of these causes of infertility do you think can't be resolved in women?
You can select multiple answers
If a woman's fallopian tube ("oviduct") is only slightly blocked, surgery may be able to help. If it is severely blocked, though, surgery may not be an option. Therefore, couples may opt for methods to treat infertility, and get pregnant by other methods. More on that in a later lesson.