What is infertility?
Infertility means that a couple is unable to have a baby naturally, even though they wish to. It can happen for different reasons. In some cases the man does not produce enough healthy sperm; in others the woman does not release an ovum properly, or the oviduct is blocked so the sperm and ovum cannot meet.
Key idea
Infertility is the inability to have a baby naturally. It can be caused by problems in producing sperm or ovum, or by a blocked pathway.
Help for infertility
Doctors can help some couples who are infertile. One well-known method is in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), where the ovum is fertilised by sperm outside the body in a laboratory, and then placed into the uterus to grow. Medicine and simple treatments can also help in some cases.
What is contraception?
Contraception means using methods to prevent pregnancy, so that a couple can plan when to have children. It works by stopping the sperm from meeting the ovum, or by stopping ovulation.
Example
Family planning helps parents space out their children so they can care for each child well. This is one reason contraception is used.
Remember
- Infertility = unable to have a baby naturally.
- IVF can help some infertile couples.
- Contraception prevents pregnancy and helps family planning.