Reasons For Infertility
Reasons For Male And Female Infertility
Infertility is estimated to affect as many as 1 in 10 couples
of reproductive age. Diagnosis of infertility usually requires
a couple to try to be impregnated for one year, properly timing
intercourse to coincide with the female’s ovulatory
cycle. In fact, there are many reasons for infertility, which
some of them are caused by the male and female factors, or
a combination of issues with both the man and woman. There
are also cases where infertility may be unexplained.
Finding Out Fertility Problems
A medical check up should be conducted if a couple has been
trying for one year or more without becoming pregnant. First
of all, an obstetrician or gynecologist can do an work up
which usually includes blood tests to find out female hormone
levels and determine whether or not ovulation is taking place
and a semen analysis to document the number, shape and mobility
of a man’s sperm. If these basic tests are not able
to determine the reasons of infertility, then a fertility
specialist or reproductive endocrinologist whose specialty
is infertility should be consulted. All of these doctors can
perform advanced tests to find out the different reasons for
infertility for each couple.
Female Infertility
Basically, advanced maternal age is one of the most common
reasons that cause female infertility. Female fertility peaks
in the 20’s and women are born with all of the eggs
they will ever have. Not only does advanced maternal age cause
ovulation problems, the quality of the eggs that are released
during ovulation will be affected as well.
Besides, due to hormonal problems, some women do not ovulate
regularly, the other reasons are such as excessive stress,
drastic weight gain or loss, too much exercise, and eating
disorders like anorexia. PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome
is a disorder in which multiple cysts form on the ovaries,
which cause irregular or no ovulation at all. These are all
the factors for infertility in women.
Scar tissue in the female reproductive tract is another possible
reason for infertility. The scar tissue can impact the ovaries
as well as the fallopian tubes and may result from previous
abdominal trauma, surgeries which include caesarian sections,
a disorder called endometriosis, or sexually transmitted diseases.
Polyps in the cervix or uterus might also be the causes behind
infertility, if they prevent fertilized eggs from successfully
implanting.
Male Infertility
As for the infertility in men, it usually involves reasons
of the number, shape and mobility of the sperm produced. Unlike
women, men will constantly produce “fresh” sperm,
hence paternal age is almost never a reason for infertility.
However, if problems related to sperm production in men are
usually linked to stress, genetic disorders that affect sperm
shape or mobility, and autoimmune disorders in which men produce
antibodies against their own sperm. On top of that, high scrotal
temperatures, which is associated with varicose veins in the
testes, wearing tight underwear, and regular use of hot tubs
or saunas are all reasons for infertility in men.
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