Embryology Test 3: Reproductive Med

Restorative Reproductive Medicine

Reproductive medicine designed to cooperate with reproductive system

Effects of RRM

-heals defects
-promotes healthy functioning of the body
-works with the human body

Naprotechnology

Short for natural procreative technology
-a medical reproductive specialty
-the most famous restorative reproductive medicine system

Naprotechnology procedures

-Charting
-Nutrition
-Medications
-Surgery

Charting

-Allows identification of reproductive pathologies
-Aids medical evaluation and treatment
-Conjugal union can be timed to overcome infertility

Nutrition

-Some nutrients can hinder fertility at low or high levels
-Improved diet can aid fertility

Medications

-normal hormonal response may be restored
-may be used to promote sperm production or ovulation

Surgery

-removal of abnormal tissue
-restoration of blocked reproductive ducts

Success rates

Live births/woman is greater than with IVF
-Napro used after IVF fails is still more successful

What is the effectiveness of Napro in diagnosing infertility?

High, more effective than IVF in diagnosing cause of infertility

Advantages of Napro

-lower risk of multiples compared to ART (Napro rate is similar to rate from natural conjugal union)
-No observed risk of OHSS - Napro only uses ovulation drugs to restore normal ovarian function
-lower cost than ART

Disadvantages of Napro

-longer wait for pregnancy
-IVF often achieves pregnancy faster (when successful)

Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion

Loss of pregnancy by 20th week (fertilization age)

Stillbirth

loss of pregnancy after 20th week

Miscarriage frequency

Estimates vary widely
-may be from 3.5%-70% of pregnancies
-likely close to one third of pregnancies
Most likely in first trimester
-most common in first 3 weeks

Commonly recognized risk factors

-Chromosomal abnormalities
-Previous miscarriage
-Advanced maternal age
-Infertility
-Endometriosis

Probably cause of pregnancy loss

Abnormal follicle development
-Causes low estrogen
-Causes low progesterone

Napro miscarriage risk markers

-Immature (small) follicles
-Short post-ovulation phase: indicates low progesterone levels
-low fertile mucus production: indicates low estrogen levels

ART for miscarriage

-Does not identify underlying problem
-Low success rate

Napro predicts risk of miscarriage

-identifies underlying problem
-higher success than IVF
-treatment can begin before a miscarriage happens

Premature birth

Birth 3 weeks before the due date
-occurs before the 35th developmental week

possible underlying problems for premature birth

-increased uterine contractions
-infection
-cervical incompetence

Cervical incompetence

-Cervix effaces and dilates too early
-efface: to thin
Dilate: to become wider

True or false: Napro approach increases prematurity rate

false

Napro treatments for premature birth

-progesterone
-antibiotics
-cervical cerclage

Treatments: progesterone

prevents contractions

Treatments: antibiotics

treats infections

Treatments: cervical cerclage

a ring or loop used to hold the cervix closed-strengthens the cervix

Naprotechnology can be used to diagnose and treat...

-menstrual cramps and pelvic pain
-absence of menstrual periods
-endometriosis
-polycystic ovaries
-male infertility