reproductive system disorders

Reproductive Disorders

Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Fetal Chromosome Checks


Testicular cancer - when cells that are not normal grow out of control in the testicles (testes) It is highly curable, especially when it is found early. Possible causes:

Having a testicle that has not dropped down into the scrotum from the belly. This is called an undescended testicle.

Klinefelter syndrome. This is a genetic problem that affects males. Normally, males have one X and one Y chromosome. Males with Klinefelter syndrome have at least two X chromosomes and, in rare cases, as many as three or four.

A family history of testicular cancer.


Prostate enlargement - swelling or infection of the prostate gland. Prostatitis caused by bacteria is treated with antibiotics and

self-care. If it is not caused by bacteria, it usually gets better with home treatment.

Home treatment includes drinking plenty of fluids and getting lots of rest. Taking over-the-counter pain relievers can also help.

Your doctor may prescribe medicine to control pain and reduce swelling. He or she may also prescribe medicine to soften your stool and relax your bladder muscles.

Surgery is rarely used to treat prostatitis.


Male infertility - Up to half of all cases of infertility involve the male partner. Tests to determine causes of male infertility include

semen analysis that evaluates sperm count, the quality of sperm, and sperm movement.

Other reasons for male infertility range from physical problems that prevent sperm being ejaculated normally in semen, sexually transmitted diseases or other infections, autoimmune problems, and the use of alcohol and drugs


Cervical cancer - occurs when abnormal cells on the cervix grow out of control. Can often be cured when it’s found early. It is usually

found at a very early stage through a Pap test. Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called

human papillomavirus, or HPV. The treatment for most stages of cervical cancer

removes the cancer and makes you unable to have children. These treatments include: A hysterectomy and removal of pelvic lymph nodes with or

without removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes. Radiation therapy. Chemotherapy.


Breast cancer - Develops in the breast tissue, primarily in the milk ducts or glands. Still called and treated as breast cancer even if it is

first discovered after traveling to other areas of the body such as the lungs, liver, or bones. In those cases, the cancer is referred to as metastatic or advanced breast cancer.

Usually begins with the formation of a small, confined tumor (lump), or as calcium deposits (microcalcifications) and then spreads through channels to the lymph nodes or through the blood stream to other organs.

The tumor may also grow and invade tissue around the breast, such as the skin or chest wall.


Treatments include: Surgery, either mastectomy or lumpectomy Radiation therapy Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Side effects

can include nausea, hair loss, early menopause, hot flashes, fatigue, and temporarily lowered blood counts.

Hormone therapy uses drugs to prevent hormones, especially estrogen, from promoting the growth of breast cancer cells that may remain after breast cancer surgery. Side effects can include hot flashes and vaginal dryness.

Biological Therapy such as Herceptin, works by using the body's immune system to destroy cancer cells. Herceptin targets breast cancer cells that have high levels of a protein called HER2.

Reproductive Disorders Female infertility - Can be caused by a number of factors,

including the following: Damage to fallopian tubes. Hormonal causes. Some women have problems with

ovulation. Synchronized hormonal changes leading to the release of an egg from the ovary and the thickening of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) in preparation for the fertilized egg do not occur. These problems may be detected using basal body temperature charts, ovulation predictor kits, and blood tests to detect hormone levels.

Cervical causes. A small group of women may have a cervical condition in which the sperm cannot pass through the cervical canal. Whether due to abnormal mucus production or a prior cervical surgical procedure, this problem may be treated with intrauterine inseminations.

Unexplained infertility. The cause of infertility in approximately 20% of couples will not be determined using the currently available methods of investigation.


Fetal alcohol syndrome - a characteristic pattern of mental and physical birth defects that results due to maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy. Characteristic features may include:

Growth delays before and after birth (prenatal and postnatal growth retardation)

Malformations of the skull and facial (craniofacial) region Brain abnormalities

May also be associated with varying degrees of mental retardation, learning abnormalities, and/or behavioral problems that, in some cases, may occur in the absence of obvious physical abnormalities.

Assisted Reproductive Technologies:

Artificial insemination – donated sperm cells or pooled specimens are placed near a woman’s cervix; treats male infertility

Surrogate mother – an oocyte fertilized in vitro is implanted in a woman other than the one who donated the oocyte The surrogate, or “gestational mother,” gives the

newborn to the “genetic mother” and her partner, the sperm donor.

Treats female infertility


In vitro fertilization – involves combining eggs and sperm outside the body in a laboratory. Once an embryo or embryos form, they are then

placed in the uterus. A complex and expensive procedure

Only about 5% of couples with infertility seek it out. However, since its introduction in the U.S. in 1981, IVF and

other similar techniques have resulted in more than 200,000 babies.


Embryo adoption – a woman is artificially inseminated with sperm cells from a man whose partner cannot ovulate healthy oocytes. If the woman conceives, the morula is flushed from

her uterus and implanted in the uterus of the sperm donor’s partner.

Treats female infertility; the woman has nonfunctional ovaries, but a healthy uterus.

Fetal Chromosome Checks:

Chorionic Villus Sampling – examines the chromosomes in chorionic villus cells (which are genetically identical to fetal cells because they are derived from the same fertilized egg) Carries a risk of causing miscarriage Women who have previously had a child with a

detectable chromosome abnormality usually have the test.

Performed at the 10th week of gestation.


Amniocentesis – performed after the 14th week of gestation. A physician uses ultrasound to guide a needle into the

amniotic sac and withdraws about 5 ml of fluid Fetal fibroblasts in the fluid are cultured and their

chromosomes checked Carries about a 0.5% chance of causing miscarriage


Fetal Cell Sorting – separates rare fetal cells from a pregnant woman’s bloodstream A device called a fluorescence activated cell sorter

can pull out the fetal cells Safer than CVS or amniocentesis because the fetus

and its membranes are not touched Still experimental and for now can only detect male

fetuses.

reproductive system disorders

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