B3.8 Fertility

• What is the purpose of contraceptives?

  To reduce fertility and prevent pregnancy
• What issue do some women face regarding fertility?

  They may be naturally infertile but want a baby
• What hormones are used to increase fertility?

  FSH and LH
• What does FSH stand for?

  Follicle Stimulating Hormone
• What does FSH do in women?

  Stimulates ovaries to mature eggs
• What happens if a woman has low levels of FSH?

  Their eggs may not mature properly
• How can low FSH levels be treated?

  By giving FSH in pill form
• What is the role of LH in fertility treatment?

  Stimulates ovulation and egg release
• On which day of the menstrual cycle does ovulation typically occur?

  Day 14
• What is IVF?

  In Vitro Fertilization
• What does follicle stimulating hormone do? 

  Stimulate an egg to mature 
• What does "in vitro" mean?

  Outside the body
• What is the first stage of IVF?

  Administering FSH and LH to mature eggs
• What happens after the eggs are collected in IVF?

  They are fertilized by sperm in a lab
• What is ICSI?

  Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
• What is the purpose of ICSI?

  To inject sperm directly into an egg
• What happens to fertilized eggs in IVF?

  They are placed in an incubator to grow
• What is an embryo?

  A tiny ball of cells
• What happens to embryos after they are created in IVF?

  They are inserted into the mother's uterus
• What is a major pro of IVF?

  It allows infertile couples to have children
• What is a significant con of IVF?

  It does not always work
• What is the success rate of IVF in the UK?

  One in four
• What are some physical side effects of IVF?

  Abdominal pain and vomiting
• What is a risk associated with multiple births from IVF?

  Higher risk of miscarriage and stillbirth
• Why do some people oppose IVF?

  It can result in unused embryos being destroyed
• What recent advances have improved IVF success rates?

  Improvements in microscope technologies
• What can genetic testing of embryo cells reveal?

  Diseases and characteristics of the future baby
• What is a concern regarding genetic testing in IVF?

  It may lead to designer babies
• Is it currently legal to create designer babies in the UK?

  No, it is illegal
• What does luteinising hormone do? 

  Stimulate an egg to be released (ovulation)
• If a woman cannot conceive naturally, she can be given follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH), which in many cases will restore fertility.
• IVF stands for:

  "In Vitro Fertilisation"
• The stages of in vitro fertilisation

  1. First, a woman is given FSH and LH to stimulate their eggs to mature.
  2. These eggs can then be collected from the woman's ovaries. Sperm is also collected from the male.
  3. The eggs are then fertilised by the sperm.
  4. These fertilised eggs are then left to grow into embryos in a laboratory incubator.
  5. Once the embryos are large enough, they are transferred to the women's uterus, so that they can develop into a foetus.
• Sometimes, fertilising an egg with sperm may require "Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)". 

  Sperm is injected into an egg cell with a tiny needle
• Why are embryos kept in an incubator whilst in the laboratory? 

  To provide the optimum temperature for enzymes and thus cell growth
• What are the cons of IVF?

  • It doesn't always work
  • Can cause abdominal pain and vomiting 
  • High chance of multiple births and associated complications
  • It can be stressful and emotionally upsetting 
• Why do some people think IVF is unethical?

  • It could lead to 'designer babies' if parents can select embryos with certain traits
  • Some embryos (which had the potential for human life) are destroyed 
• During IVF, where are the egg and sperm mixed?

  In a laboratory 
• What do we call the release of an egg from the ovary?

  Ovulation