fertiliteetti

Fertiliteetti is the Finnish term for fertility, referring to the capacity to reproduce and sustain offspring. In broad use, it encompasses biological fertility of individuals, demographic fertility of populations, and related social and medical considerations. The concept appears in biology, demography, medicine, and public policy, and its interpretation varies by context.

Biological fertility concerns an organism’s ability to conceive and bear offspring. In humans, fertility is influenced by age, hormonal health, genetics, and lifestyle. Fertility differs between sexes, with factors such as ovulation, sperm quality, and reproductive anatomy playing roles. Subfertility or infertility describes reduced or absent ability to conceive after a conventional period of trying, typically defined in clinical settings as lack of pregnancy after about one year of regular unprotected intercourse.

Demographic fertility measures describe the fertility level of a population. Common indicators include the total fertility rate (the average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime at current age-specific rates), crude birth rate, and age-specific fertility rates. These measures help describe population growth, aging, and dependency burdens, and are influenced by economic conditions, education, urbanization, gender equality, and public policy.

Medical and technological aspects of fertiliteetti cover fertility assessment and treatment. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) address infertility. Fertility preservation methods, like egg or sperm freezing, are used for medical or personal reasons. Ethical, legal, and social considerations accompany advances in fertility technologies and family planning.

In ecology and evolution, fertility relates to reproduction rates and the capacity of species to maintain populations under changing environmental conditions.