STERILITY, the quality of a thing that is barren, in opposition to fertility. It has been asserted by many authors, that all monsters produced by a mixture of different species of animals, such as mules, are barren; but this does not hold universally, even with the mule, which is the instance most generally adduced. See MULE.
Sterility in women sometimes happens from a miscarriage, or violent labour injuring some of the genital parts; but one of the most frequent causes is the suppression of the menstrual flux.—There are other causes, arising from various diseases incident to those parts; by which the uterus may be unfit to receive or retain the male seed;—from the tubæ fallopianæ being too short, or having lost their erectile power; in either of which cases no conception can take place:—from universal debility and relaxation; or a local debility of the genital system; by which means, the semen is thrown off immediately post coitum:—from imperforation of the vagina, the uterus, or the tubæ; or from diseased ova, &c. Hence medical treatment can only avail in cases arising from topical or universal debility; in correcting irregularities of the menstrual flux, or in removing tumours, cicatrices, or constrictions of the passage, by the art of surgery.