Sexual offences: impotence and sterility: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Sexual offences: impotence and sterility

Sample item

A 32-year-old married man with normal erections and ejaculation is found to have azoospermia from testicular failure and cannot father children. Medicolegally he is:

ASterile but not impotentBBoth impotent and sterileCNeither impotent nor sterileDImpotent but not sterile

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Sterile but not impotent

Impotence is inability to perform sexual intercourse, whereas sterility is inability to produce offspring. A man with azoospermia but a normal erection and ejaculation is sterile only. Sterility is not by itself a ground for annulling a marriage, whereas impotence may be.

Option by option

A. Sterile but not impotent (correct)
He can perform intercourse but cannot produce sperm, so he is sterile but not impotent.
B. Both impotent and sterile
He is not impotent, as intercourse is possible.
C. Neither impotent nor sterile
Azoospermia makes him sterile, so he cannot be called fertile.
D. Impotent but not sterile
He has normal erection and ejaculation, so he is not impotent, and he cannot father children.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Sterile but not impotent. Impotence is inability to perform sexual intercourse, whereas sterility is inability to produce offspring.

Why is "Both impotent and sterile" not the answer?

He is not impotent, as intercourse is possible.

Why is "Neither impotent nor sterile" not the answer?

Azoospermia makes him sterile, so he cannot be called fertile.

Why is "Impotent but not sterile" not the answer?

He has normal erection and ejaculation, so he is not impotent, and he cannot father children.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sexual offences: impotence and sterility in Forensic Medicine. A man with azoospermia but a normal erection and ejaculation is sterile only. Sterility is not by itself a ground for annulling a marriage, whereas impotence may be.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Sexual offences: impotence and sterility?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.