RESEARCH IN HUMAN REPRODUCTION

Sterility
Sterility is the inability to reproduce. Both males and femailes can be sterile.
Some causes of sterility in males and their treatment

Cause

Treatment

Remove any blockage in

Absence of
the tubes between the
sperm
testes and the seminal
vesicles
Stop smoking, reduce
Low sperm count stress and stop taking

Abnormal
sperms
Impotence/Er
ectile
dysfunction
Antibodies
against
sperms

Take hormonal pills

Take drugs that are
prescribed by the
doctor
Take steroids that
suppress antibodies
which act against
sperms

Some causes of sterility in females and their

treatment
Cause
Failure to
ovulate
Blocked
fallopian tubes

Treatment
Take hormonal pills or
fertility drugs that aid
ovulation
Surgically cut off the
blocked portion of the
fallopian tubes and rejoin
the unblocked tubes

Treat damages of the

Damaged cervix
cervix through surgery
Antibodies
against sperms

Take drugs that suppress

antibodies that act against

In Vitro Fertilisation
In vitro fertilisation is fertilisation that
occurs outside the female body. The
fertilisation egg divides and develops
into an embryo. The embryo is them
implanted into the wall of the uterus of
a female where it develops into a
foetus.

Birth Control
Birth control allows ,arried couples to ecide whether
they would want to have children. It also allows
them to choose the number of children and the time
to have them. This is done by using contraception.
Contrsception prevents married women from
getting pregnant. The method used, by males or
females, depends on their religious beliefs, their
social background and their preference. It also
depends on whether the married couple would like
to have children in future.

Methods of birth control and their effectiveness

Birth
contro
l
Examples
metho
d

Nature Rhythm or
method safe method

What are
involved in
the method
and how it
works
Avoid
copulation
during the
fertile phase of
the menstrual

Condom
Barrier
method

Diaphragm
or cap

A thin rubber
sheath that
prevents the
sperms from
entering the
vagina
A circular rubber
cap with a metal
spring round it
that fits over the
entrance of the
uterus. Sperms
are blocked from

Mechanical
method

Intrauterine
contraceptive
device, IUCD

A plastic coil or
metal loop
placed into the
uterus by a
doctor. The
IUCD prevents
the
implantation of
an embryo in
the uterus

Contraceptive
pills
Hormonal
method

Contain female
sex hormones
that prevent

Chemical
method

Spermicides Chemicals
in the form
of tablet,
form, cream
or jelly that
kill sperms

Male sterilisation or
vasectomy
Surgical method

A minor operation in
which
the
sperm
ducts are cut and
tied.
Sperms from
the
testes
cannot
reach the penis

Female sterilisation or
ligation
A minor operation in
which the fallopian
tubes or ovidutcts are
cut and tied

Temporary contraceptive methods are methods which allow married couples to have
children as and when the couples stop using these methods. Permanent contraceptive
methods are methods which do not allow married couples to have any children once
these methods have been applied.