Journal List > J Korean Med Assoc > v.50(5) > 1041893

Lee: Physiology of Pregnancy and Epidemiology of Infertility

Abstract

Pregnancy is a fundamental and evolving process to sustain life in universe. In human, the reproduction is a more complex and highly regulated process. The optimal maturation and the successful fertilization of gamates lead to the successful development of an embryo. Synchronization between embryo development to the blastocyst and differentiation of the endometrium to receptive state is essential to implantation. Greater understanding of sperm and egg development and fertilization is one of the major basics of the clinical application of the assisted reproductive technologies (ART). The abnormalities of these unique processes result in difficult conceiving or infertility. The prevalence of infertility reaches 10~15% of reproductive age couples all over the world, and KIHASA (Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs) reported in 2003 that it was about 13.5% in Korea. Because most infertile couples, except some specific instances, have difficulties in conceiving, they can be pregnant with infertility treatment such as IVF (in vitro fertilization) or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). Generally female fecundability decreases with increasing age. So it is important to try to conceive in earlier ages. Recently, highly developed ART makes it possible to overcome almost all infertility problems.

Figures and Tables

Figure 1
Percentage of ART user by ages: IVF & ICSI(2003, Korea).
jkma-50-393-g001
Figure 2
The number of assisted reproductive technology procedures by ages between 2000 and 2003 in Korea.
jkma-50-393-g002
Figure 3
Primary diagnosis for ART procedures.
jkma-50-393-g003
Table 1
The numbers of assisted reproductive technology procedures by ages between 2000 and 2003 in Korea
jkma-50-393-i001
Table 2
Causes of Infertility
jkma-50-393-i002

References

1. Speroff L, Fritz MA, editors. Clinical gynecologic endocrinology and infertility. 2005. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;234–277.
2. Goodman AL, Hodgen GD. The ovulation triad of the primate menstrual cycle. Rec Prog Horm Res. 1983. 39:1–73.
3. Wang C, Baker HWG, Jennins MG. Interaction between human cervical mucus and sperm surface antibodies. Fertil Steril. 1985. 44:484–488.
crossref
4. Katz DF, Morales P, Samuel SJ, Overstreet JW. Mechanism of filtration of morphologically abnormal human sperm by cervical mucus. Fertil Steril. 1990. 54:513–516.
crossref
5. Hartman JF, Gwatkin RBL. Alteration of sites on the mammalian sperm surface following capacitation. Nature. 1971. 234:479–481.
crossref
6. Basrros C, Yanagimachi R. Introduction of zona reaction in golden hamster eggs by cortical granule material. Nature. 1971. 233:268–269.
crossref
7. Ducibella T. The cortical reaction and development of activation competence in mammalian oocytes. Hum Reprod Update. 1996. 2:29–42.
crossref
8. Tassadon A, Eliyahu E, Shtraizent N, Shalgi R. When a sperm meets an egg: Block to polyspermy. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2006. 252:107–114.
crossref
9. Williams CJ. Signalling mechanisms of mammalian oocyte activation. Hum Reprod Update. 2002. 8:313–321.
crossref
10. Paria BC, Song HS, Dey SK. Implantation: molecular basis of embryo-uterine dialogue. Int J Dev Biol. 2001. 45:597–605.
11. Paria BC, Lim H, Das SK, Reese J, Dey SK. Molecular signaling in uterine receptivity for implantation. Cell Dev Biol. 2000. 11:67–76.
crossref
12. Schlafke S, Enders AC. Cellular basis of interaction between trophoblast and uterus at implantation. Bio Reprod. 1975. 12:41–65.
crossref
13. Lopata A, Hay D. The surplus human embryo: its potential for growth, blastulation, hatching and human chorionic gonadotropin production in culture. Fertil Steril. 1989. 51:984–991.
crossref
14. Mauro T, Matsuo H, Ohtani T, Hoshina M, Mochizuki M. Differential modulation of chorionic gonadotropin (CG) subunit messenger ribonucleic acid levels and CG secretion by progesterone in normal placenta and choriocarcinoma cultured in vitro. Endocrinol. 1986. 119:855–864.
15. Capso AL, Pulkkinen MO, Wiest WG. Effects of luteectomy and progesterone replacement in early pregnant patients. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1973. 115:759–765.
16. Cramer DW, Walker AM, Schiff I. Statistical methods in evaluating the outcome of infertility therapy. Fertil Steril. 1979. 32:80–86.
17. Mosher WD, Pratt WF. Asch RH, Stubb JW, editors. The demography of infertility in the United States. Annual progress in reproductive medicine. 1993. Park Ridge, NJ: The Parthenon Publishing Group;37–43.
18. Chandra A, Mosher WD. The demography of infertility and the use of medical care for infertility. Infert Reprod Med Clin North Am. 1994. 5:283–295.
19. Abma JC, Chandra A, Mosher WD, Peterson LS, Piccinino LJ. Fertility, family planning, and women's health: new data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth. Vital Health Stat 23. 1997. 5:1–114.
20. Wilcox LS, Mosher WD. Use of infertility services in the United States. Obstet Gynecol. 1993. 82:122–127.
21. Burney RO, Schust DJ, Yao MWM. Berek JS, editor. Infertility. Berek & Novak's Gynecology. 2007. 14th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;1185–1259.
22. Carlsen E, Giwercman A, Keiding N, Skakkebaek NE. Evidence for decreasing quality of semen during the past 50 years. BMJ. 1992. 305:609–613.
crossref
23. Rasmussen PE, Erb K, Westergaard LG, et al. No evidence for decreasing semen quality in four birth cohorts of 1055 Danish men born between 1950 and 1970. Fertil Steril. 1997. 68:1059–1064.
crossref
24. Westrom L. Incidence, prevalence, and trends of acute pelvic inflammatory disease and its consequences in industrialized countries. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1980. 138:880–892.
crossref
25. Rosenfeld DL, Seidman SM, Bronson RA, Scholl GM. Unsuspected chronic pelvic inflammatory disease in the infertile female. Fertil Steril. 1983. 39:44–48.
crossref
26. Wallach EE. The uterine factor in infertility. Fertil Steril. 1972. 23:138–158.
crossref
27. Guzick DS, Sullivan MW, Adamson GD, Cedars MI, Falk RJ, Peterson EP, Steinkampf MP. Efficacy of treatment for unexplained infertility. Fertil Steril. 1998. 70:207–213.
crossref
TOOLS
Similar articles