MEDICAL BIOLOGY, HUMAN ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY - Y.I. Fedoniuk 2010

ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY, PATHOLOGY

CHAPTER 9. THE PROCESS OF REPRODUCTION

PATHOLOGY OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

INFERTILITY

1. FEMALE INFERTILITY

Female Infertility can be absolute or relative. It is considered absolute if there are conditions that completely rule out the possibility of conception (e.g., absence of the Uterus or Ovaries). Infertility is termed relative if the underlying cause can be fully corrected.

Infertility is classified into Primary and secondary. Primary infertility is characterized by the absence of Pregnancy in a woman after 1-2 years of regular unprotected intercourse. Secondary infertility is diagnosed when a woman has had at least one previous pregnancy.

The main forms of female infertility are generally categorized as follows:

1) tubal infertility;

2) endocrine infertility;

3) infertility caused predominantly by anatomical disorders within the Reproductive System;

4) immunological infertility.

Tubal infertility is usually secondary and develops primarily As a result of inflammatory processes leading to the occlusion of the fallopian tubes due to wall infiltration, tubal lumen obliteration, or kinking caused by peritubal adhesions.

Endocrine infertility is a collective term, as it encompasses numerous endocrine disorders with diverse etiologies, Pathogenesis, and clinical presentations. Endocrine infertility is characterized by dysfunctions of the Endocrine System that disrupt ovulation.

Infertility associated with anatomical abnormalities of the reproductive system includes trauma, tumors, and developmental anomalies. Surgical removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries results in the permanent loss of a woman's reproductive function. Infertility is also frequently observed in cases of urogenital fistulae and intrauterine adhesions (synechiae) resulting from traumatic curettage.

Immunological infertility is characterized by The Development of cellular and humoral immune responses against sperm Antigens in either the wife or the husband. It has been established that not only spermatozoa but also seminal plasma possess antigenic activity. The female oocyte also exhibits antigenic properties, although their role in the pathogenesis of infertility has not been definitively proven.