Infertility Treatments

• Causes of male infertility:

  • Abnormal sperm
  • Low sperm count
  • Erectile Dysfunction
• Causes of female infertility:

  • Age
  • Fallopian tube damage
  • Uterine damage
• Different infertility treatments:

  • Artificial Insemenation
  • Fertility Drugs
  • In-Vitro Fertilisation
• Artificial Insemenation:

  Sperm from a father or a donor is placed into a vagina at it's fertile point
• When is Artificial Insemenation appropriate?

  If a male cannot produce sperm or a low sperm count
• What are some issues about Artificial Insemenation?


  • The father has to cope with the child not being his (if sperm donor)
  • Sperm donor will never know his alleged "children"
• Artificial Fertility Drugs:

  A drug containing low doses of FSH and LH to stimulate ovulation
• In-Vitro Fertilisation:

  1. After being given fertility drugs, mature eggs are removed and put onto a petri dish
  2. Insemenate egg until it forms an embryo (from dad or sperm donor)
  3. [YOU CAN FREEZE EGGS FOR LATER USE]
  4. Insert embryo into the mother's uterus / into a surrogate ( More than one for an increase chance of fertilisation)
• What are some disadvantages about In-Vitro Fertilisation?


  • Expensive
  • May have multiple babies
  • Not always successful
  • Very Emotionally and Physically stressful
• What are some advantages about In-Vitro Fertilisation?

  • Helps infertile/same sex couples a child
  • Embryo can potentially be screened if healthy
• How do IUDs work?


  1. Copper IUD: Releases copper, which is toxic to sperm, stopping them from fertilising an egg.
  2. Hormonal IUD: Releases hormones that thicken cervical mucus (making it harder for sperm to reach the egg) and can stop ovulation (release of an egg).