The context is the time of the early Arrancar arc. In chapter 188 Urahara says that Isshin abondened his shinigami powers 20 years ago. As Ichigo was apparently 15 at the time, he should have been conceived 4-5 years after Isshin lost his powers. Ichigo lost his shinigami powers after using Final Getsuga Tenshou and become a "human/plus" with remnants of Shinigami power. I assume Isshin using the same technique would undergo a similar process in other words Isshin became a plus/human with remnants of shinigami power.
Here is where a contradiction arises. Aizen took interest in Ichigo because he was the offspring of a shinigami and a human (chs 397-398). At face value the former sentence forms a contradiction. In chapter 528 and other chapters it's almost official that Misaki is a Quincy. However Aizen said Ichigo is the offspring of a human and Shinigami so I 'm going to liberally interpret what Aizen meant by Shinigami.
Suppose that Aizen meant former shinigami or human/plus with remnants of shinigami power. Ichigo could inherit shinigami power also the fact that is Ichigo's shinigami powers were dormant is justified as Isshin's powers were also dormant when they were passed on (Need to explain dormant powers). However according to Nimoniya, a shinigami is more than having Zanpakuto and Shinigami power yet Isshin likely had neither. According to Rukia (ch 46) the role of the shinigami is to balance the two worlds. One of the means is by purifying hollows with their Zanpakuto. Hence according to the role of the shinigami a spiritual entity without even a Zanpakuto can't be a shinigami. If I believe these are true, then Aizen as particular with words as he is wouldn't make the mistake that is to say a "former shinigami" and shinigami are the same thing or even similar.
Based on the former paragraphs, I assume that Isshin was a bona fide shinigami when Ichigo was conceived. I speculate that Ichigo was created, some time before 20 years ago rather than conceived like his sisters. This would explain why Ichigo is a shinigami and a human and why his sisters don't have strong spiritual powers.
I have a reason or story to explain why they would create rather than conceive Ichigo. Over 20 years ago Isshin and Masaki perhaps wanted a child but couldn't conceive as their physical/spiritual bodies aren't compatible (against this idea: a Gigai might solve the problem). Urahara perhaps presented a way with a Hougyoku or some other plot device.20 years ago Isshin loses his powers using Final Getsuga Tenshou and sometime afterwards he starts to live with Masaki. 5 years later Ichigo is "born". 10-11 years later, they conceive Yuzu and Karin as Isshin is now more or less a human or the method of creation could not, need not or want not be repeated e.g. immoral, difficult, scarce resources etc. As an aside the motivation to create Ichigo could also be Urahara's scientific curiosity and perhaps his parents had little say in the matter.
Though I wonder: how they would they create Ichigo? why it took 5+ years for Ichigo to be born?
If Ichigo was created rather that conceived, I can see why Isshin would be reluctant to tell Ichigo about the past. This is because from one perspective it dehumanises him (not because he's a shinigami); he is like a test tube baby or an experiment grown in a lab. I don't agree but it certainly is a perspective he could take. If Ichigo was created using the Hougyoku, Ichigo partly is even less human and worse still he becomes an enigmatic existence to all but a few. Though Aizen never mentioned that he was part Hougyoku. It would also explain why Aizen wanted to eat Ichigo as Aizen's Hougyoku evolved by "eating" Urahara's Hougyoku. In other words Hougyoku evolve by consuming and reach a higher level by eating each other.
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