Impotency and Sterility
Definition of Impotence and Sterility
- Impotence is the inability of a male to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse.
- Sterility is the inability of a couple to conceive a child after regular unprotected sexual intercourse for a period of one year.
Factors Leading to Impotency and Sterility
- Impotency
- Psychological factors: anxiety, stress, depression
- Physical factors: diabetes, hypertension, neurological disorders
- Medications: certain antidepressants, antihistamines, and blood pressure medications
- Sterility
- Male factors: low sperm count, poor sperm motility, abnormal sperm morphology
- Female factors: ovulation disorders, cervical factor, uterine factor
- Combined factors: age, weight, lifestyle, and genetics
Artificial Insemination
- Artificial insemination is a method of fertilization where a man's semen is collected and inserted into a woman's uterus or cervix.
- Types of artificial insemination:
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI): semen is inserted into the uterus
- Intrauterine insemination with ovulation induction: semen is inserted into the uterus after ovulation is induced
- Exogenous semen: semen is inserted into the cervix
- Indications: infertility due to low sperm count, cervical factor, or uterine factor
Surrogacy with Medicolegal Importance
- Surrogacy is an arrangement where a woman carries and gives birth to a child for another couple or individual.
- Types of surrogacy:
- Traditional surrogacy: the surrogate is the biological mother
- Gestational surrogacy: the surrogate carries a fertilized embryo, but is not the biological mother
- Medicolegal importance:
- Contractual agreements: between the intended parents and the surrogate
- Parental rights: the intended parents' rights to the child
- Egg donation: the rights and responsibilities of the egg donor
- Surrogate compensation: fair compensation for the surrogate's expenses and time
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) with Medicolegal Importance
- IVF is a method of fertilization where an egg is fertilized with sperm outside the body.
- Steps of IVF: 1 → Egg retrieval 1 → Fertilization 1 → Embryo culture 1 → Embryo transfer
- Medicolegal importance:
- Consent: the couple's consent for IVF treatment
- Egg donation: the rights and responsibilities of the egg donor
- Sperm donation: the rights and responsibilities of the sperm donor
- Embryo storage: the storage of embryos for future use
Functions of Sperm and Ova Banks with Medicolegal Importance
- Sperm banks:
- Collection and storage of sperm for future use
- Screening of donors for infectious diseases and genetic disorders
- Consent of donors for sperm use
- Ova banks:
- Collection and storage of eggs for future use
- Screening of donors for infectious diseases and genetic disorders
- Consent of donors for egg use
- Medicolegal importance:
- Consent: the donor's consent for sperm or egg donation
- Identification: the identification of donors and their sperm or eggs
- Storage: the secure storage of sperm and eggs