Factors+Affecting+Reproductive+Health



=Factors Affecting Reproductive Health Part 1 =

*ectopic pregnancy = when embryo implants outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes. fetus usually does not develop to full term and are dangerous to the mother as they can cause life-threatening hemorrages

__1) smoking __ Females: - at risk for lowering folic acid (a B vitamin), vitamin C and beta-carotene (provitamin A) levels - associated with infertility, delay in conception, ectopic pregnancy, menstrual disorders, birth defects - increased risk of spontaneous abortion & fetal death - will have a child with a lower birth weight due to reduced nutrients and oxygen to the fetus in utero

Males: - may have quality of their sperm affected

__2) Chemical Exposure __ - a teratogen can be a drug, chemical or infection that results in the permanent damage to the developing fetus (low birth weight, still birth, birth defects): - carbon monoxide in car exhausts - kerosene heaters - lead - paint strippers

preventative measures: <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- leave work area to eat <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- avoid noxious substances <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- use gloves <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- wash hands <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- adequate ventilation <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- determine status of hazardous substances at place of work (trained in WHMIS)

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Part 1 Questions:
<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">a) What type of vitamin is folic acid? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">b) IF conception occurs, what can lower levels of vitamins A, B and C, associated with smoking, do to affect the fetus? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">c) Besides lowering vitamin levels, how else does smoking affect the developing fetus? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">d) What is a teratogen? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">e) You are stripping lead paint from an old piece of furniture, what steps should you take to reduce your risks of exposure?

=<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Factors Affecting Reproductive Health Part 2 =

__<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">3) Alcohol __ <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Females: <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- risk of child with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS): <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- brain damage <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- low birth weight <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- behavioural problems - anxiety, hyperactivity, impulsiveness <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- heart & kidney problems <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- vision and hearing loss <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- developmental delay

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Males: <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- reduces sperm quality in males <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- affect ability to achieve and maintain an erection

__<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">4) Medications __ <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- some cause erectile disfunction in males (e.g Valium, Prozac, blood pressure medications) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- some drugs may affect sperm production or ovulation <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- some drugs may cause fetal defects (tetracycline an antibiotic, accutane for acne, steroids, anti-coagulants) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- chemotherapy for cancer may affect sperm quality and ovulation <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- some herbal medicine have ingredients that can have harmful effects during pregnancy and while breast feeding (e.g. stimulate uterus and cause contractions, cause birth defects, produce toxic effects in the developing baby and can cause fetal or infant death)

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Part 2 Questions:
<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">f) What organs can be affected in a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">g) What behavioural & developmental problems can be associated with FAS? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">h) How can alcohol and medications affect male fertility? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">i) What are 2 common drugs that can cause birth defects in a developing fetus? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">j) People often think herbal medicine is perfectly safe because it is plant-derived, explain why this isn't necessarily true.

=<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Factors Affecting Reproductive Health Part 3 =

__<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">5) Sexual Health History __ <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- multiple sexual partners increase the risk for STI's (sexually transmitted infections) and cervical cancer <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- some women develop antibodies to sperm (their bodies will then attack sperm and prevent fertilization), a condition some doctors believe is more common in women with multiple sexual partners <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- STIs (e.g. chlamydia, gonorrhoea), if left untreated can cause conditions in both males and females which can impair fertility <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> e.g. - chlamydia is the leading cause of preventable infertility and ectopic pregnancy <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- 80% of women and 25% of men with chlamydia have no symptoms <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- 50% of women and 25% of men with gonnorhea have no symptoms <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) can cause tubal damage in women and increase risk of ectopic pregnancy

__<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">6) Hormone/Genetic Factors __ <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- can affect sperm quality & production in males <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- can affect ovulation in females (e.g. failure to ovulate regularly, or irregular menstrual cycle, may be caused by problems with the hypothalamus part of the brain and pituitary gland in the brain) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- genetic factors e.g. born with no uterus may impede to prevent the ability to conceive

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Part 3 Questions:
<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">k) What are STIs and give 2 examples. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">l) What happens if a woman develops antibodies to sperm? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">m) What is PID and what can it cause? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">n) A friend tells you that although they have had unprotected sex with multiple partners, they don't need to worry about STIs because they have no symptoms. What is wrong with your friend's rationale? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">o) What are 2 neurological (brain) things that can cause irregular periods in women?

=<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Factors Affecting Reproductive Health Part 4 =

__<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">7) Stress __ <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- psychological stress (e.g. depression, difficulty sleeping, anxiety) and physiological stress (muscle tension, lack of energy, nervousness) can seriously lower libido (sex drive) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- stress may affect the ability to make healthy lifestyle choices (e.g. alcohol and other substance use, smoking, decrease in physical activity or sedentary living) which in turn also affects fertility

__<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">8) General Health __ <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- pre-conceptual health is the general health status of a person before conception of a baby <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- pre-conceptual health is the single most important determinant of male and female fertility <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- good health promotes healthier pregnancies and births: reduces low birth weight, birth defects and premature deliveries <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- poor nutrition and sedentary living can affect fertility <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- obesity puts women at risk of high blood pressure; in pregnancy, a condition called pre-eclampsia: increases the risk of stroke, may impair kidney and liver function, can cause blood clotting problems, pulmonary oedema (fluid on the lungs) and seizures, babies can be smaller and are often born prematurely and, in severe forms, death of the mother and/or baby <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- women who are underweight (pre-pregnant body mass index BMI 18.5 or below) may not menstruate and therefore be infertile but if do become pregnant, increase risk of low birth weight infants <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- conflicting evidence that tight clothing may affect sperm production <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- research shows that an increased intake of folic acid (a B vitamin) by women before she becomes pregnant reduces the risk of birth defects called Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) that affect the brain and spinal cord e.g. Spina Bifida (good sources of folic acid are fruits and vegetables)

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Part 4 Questions:
<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">p) Give an example of psychological stresses and state how they can affect fertility. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">q) What is pre-conceptual health? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">r) What is pre-eclampsia and what are 3 effects that it can have on a developing fetus <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">s) Obesity can cause major complications with pregnancies, but a woman who is underweight is also at risk of fertility issues. What does a woman who is underweight need to be concerned with? <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">t) Why is it a good idea for a woman thinking of becoming pregnant to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables?