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| HEALTH
- Infertility in Women |
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The infertility is the inability to
get pregnant after at least one year of unprotected
sex. Women who are able to get pregnant but then have
repeated miscarriages are also said to be infertile.
Infertility affects about 10% of couples. Even under
ideal circumstances, the probability that a woman
will get pregnant during a single menstrual cycle
is only about 30%. About one third of infertility
problems are due to female infertility, and another
one third are due to male infertility. In the remaining
cases, infertility affects both partners or the cause
is unclear.
Fertility is the result of the following complex chain
of process:
• A woman must release an egg from one of her
ovaries (ovulation).
• The egg must go through a fallopian tube toward
the uterus (womb).
• A man's sperm must join with the egg along
the way(fertilize).
• The fertilized egg must attach to the inside
of the uterus (implantation).
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| General
causes for female infertility are:
• Age - Fertility begins to decline when a woman
reaches her mid-30s, and then declines after her late
30s. The ovary's ability to develop, healthy eggs declines
with age, and increasing the risk of chromosomal abnormalities
and unsuccessful implantation.
• Weight - Extreme weight levels, either high
or low, can be a reason for infertility.
• Smoking - Cigarette smoking can impair a woman’s
fertility.
• Women who exercise too much or diet excessively
— sometimes due to eating disorders — may
not produce enough estrogen for ovulation to occur.
• Certain
kinds of birth control continue to reduce ovulation
even after they are no longer used.
Medical conditions
for female infertility are:
• Infertility may be caused by the damages the
fallopian tubes or the peritoneum sometimes cause infertility,
or causes hormonal complications. These medical conditions
include:
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Endometriosis (is associated with chronic pelvic
pain and irregular monthly cycles)
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (is a hormone imbalance
that can cause irregular periods)
• Asher man’s Syndrome (is scarring inside
the uterus that creates intrauterine adhesions)
• Premature ovarian failure
• Uterine fibroids
• Cervical and Uterine Factors
• Production of antibodies against sperm
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(Both men and women can have immune reactions to sperm,
and produce antibodies to it. Little is known about
how prevalent a problem this is and it is under active
research) Fertility testing should especially be performed
if a woman is over 35 years old or if either partner
has known risk factors for infertility. Most healthy
women under the age of 30 shouldn't worry about infertility
unless they've been trying to get pregnant for at least
a year. An analysis of the man's semen should be performed
before the female partner undergoes any invasive testing.
Common diagnostic tests for female infertility
are:
• Blood and urine tests to evaluate hormonal levels
• Imaging and ultrasound tests, (such as ultrasound,
hysteroscopy, or laparoscopy), to examine the uterus
and fallopian tubes.
Infertility can be treated with medicine, surgery, artificial
insemination or assisted reproductive technology. Many
times these treatments are combined. About two-thirds
of couples who are treated for infertility are able
to have a baby. In most cases infertility is treated
with drugs or surgery and you should understand the
risks, benefits, and side effects.
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The general
treatments for female infertility are:
• Lifestyle measures (healthy lifestyle, planning
sexual activity with ovulation cycle, managing stress
and emotions)
• Drugs to induce ovulation, such as clomiphene
and gonadotrophins
• Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such
as in vitro fertilization (IVF)
Infertility in men is most often caused by:
• Problems making sperm ; producing too few
sperm or none at all
• Problems with the sperm's ability to reach
the egg and fertilize it
• Abnormal sperm shape or structure prevent
it from moving correctly
• Injury or illness like cystic fibrosis
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