What is meant by female infertility?
If a woman of reproductive age is repeatedly unable to conceive a child within a year of having unprotected intercourse or donor insemination, the condition is referred to as female infertility.A doctor might also say that a woman who gets pregnant but suffers miscarriages is infertile.
In about one-third of all cases of infertility, the woman has a problem that prevents her from getting pregnant. These problems may include uterine fibroids, ovarian cyst, endometriosis , blocked fallopian tubes, and pelvic inflammatory disease(PID).
What are the causes of infertility?
In women, a number of factors can disrupt this process at any step.
Female infertility is caused by one or more of the factors below.
- Ovulation disorders: meaning you ovulate infrequently or not at all, account for infertility in about 1 in 4 infertile couples. Problems with the regulation of reproductive hormones by the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland, or problems in the ovary, can cause ovulation disorders.
- Damaged or blocked fallopian tubes: it keeps sperm from getting to the egg or block the passage of the fertilized egg into the uterus. Causes of fallopian tube damage or blockage can include: pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), uterine fibroids, previous surgery in the abdomen or pelvis, pelvic tuberculosis.
- Endometriosis: it occurs when tissue that normally grows in the uterus implants and grows in other locations. This extra tissue growth can cause scarring, which may block fallopian tubes and keep an egg and sperm from uniting.
- Several uterine or cervical causes: can impact fertility by interfering with implantation or increasing the likelihood of a miscarriage
- Unexplained infertility: Sometimes,a combination of several minor factors in both partners could cause unexplained fertility problems.
What are the signs and symptoms of infertility in women?
First way to determine infertility in a woman is screening for the two essential factors – ovulation and tubal status.
A woman with monthly regular menstrual cycles can check for ovulation by using an over-the-counter urine detection kit.
The main symptom of infertility is the inability to get pregnant. A menstrual cycle that's too long (35 days or more), too short (less than 21 days), irregular or absent can mean that you're not ovulating. So long or heavy menstrual bleeding( more than 7days), presents of uterine fibroids ( hard tissue at low abdominal part)
What are the different types of infertility?
The basics of human reproduction require a woman to ovulate, have at least one open fallopian tube, and have a normal uterine cavity, while the man needs to provide normal-functioning sperm. Hence, the reasons for female infertility are ovulation dysfunction and tubal blockage.
Contributors to female infertility include reasons for ovulation dysfunction, most commonly polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), presents of uterine fibroids and other less common hormone effects on ovulation.
Fibroid tumors of the uterus, endometriosis, pelvic adhesions, obesity, use family planning pills and tobacco use can all reduce female fertility.
What is the most accurate way to test infertility in women?
The two most important areas to test for determining the fertility of a woman are ovulation and tubal status, which contribute to 80% of the female factors.
To keep tabs on your ovulation cycle, you can either use at-home urine test kits that are available over the counter or go for a blood test, both of which aim to detect the presence of the hormone progesterone.
Tubal status is determined typically through a hysterosalpingogram (HSG). In this procedure, liquid contrast is slowly injected through the cervix into the uterus, while the movement of the fluid is visualized using x-ray fluoroscopy.
This test gives an inside view of the uterine cavity and highlights any abnormalities that may be causing infertility, such as a blockage in the fallopian tubes.
Fertility hormone tests are include: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) — to trigger ovulation.Ovarian age testing is done by measuring the number of small antral follicle cysts through ultrasound and by measuring the level of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) through a blood test.
It is important to know that this test does not predict natural fertility and should not be used as a basis for reproductive potential.
When to see a doctor
When to seek help sometimes depends on your age:
Up to age 35, most doctors recommend trying to get pregnant for at least a year before testing or treatment.
If you're between 35 and 40, discuss your concerns with our doctor's after six months of trying.
If you're older than 40, our doctor's may want to begin testing or treatment right away.
Our doctor's may also want to begin testing or treatment right away if you or your partner has known fertility problems, or if you have a history of irregular or painful periods, pelvic inflammatory disease, repeated miscarriages, prior cancer treatment, or endometriosis.
Diagnosis
If you've been unable to conceive within a reasonable period of time, seek help from our doctor's for evaluation and treatment of infertility.
Fertility tests may include:
Ovulation testing are : follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH ), luteinizing hormone (LH) that occurs before ovulation,. A blood test for progesterone, a hormone produced after ovulation can also document that you're ovulating, Other hormone levels, such as prolactin, also may be checked.
Hysterosalpingography: During hysterosalpingography (his-tur-o-sal-ping-GOG-ruh-fee), X-ray contrast is injected into your uterus and an X-ray is taken to detect abnormalities in the uterine cavity. The test also determines whether the fluid passes out of the uterus and spills out of your fallopian tubes. If abnormalities are found, you'll likely need further evaluation. In a few women, the test itself can improve fertility, possibly by flushing out and opening the fallopian tubes.
Ovarian reserve testing: This testing helps determine the quality and quantity of eggs available for ovulation. Women at risk of a depleted egg supply including women older than 35, they may have this series of blood and imaging tests.
Other hormone testing: Other hormone tests check levels of ovulatory hormones as well as thyroid and pituitary hormones that control reproductive processes.
Imaging tests: A pelvic ultrasound looks for uterine or fallopian tube disease. Sometimes a sonohysterogram, also called a saline infusion sonogram, is used to see details inside the uterus that can't be seen on a regular ultrasound.
Depending on your situation, rarely your testing may include:
Laparoscopy: This minimally invasive surgery involves making a small incision beneath your navel and inserting a thin viewing device to examine your fallopian tubes, ovaries and uterus. A laparoscopy may identify endometriosis, scarring, blockages or irregularities of the fallopian tubes, and problems with the ovaries and uterus.
Genetic testing Genetic testing helps determine whether there's a genetic defect causing infertility.
Treatment for infertility
Infertility treatment depends on the cause, your age, how long you've been infertile and personal preferences. Because infertility is a complex disorder, treatment involves significant financial, physical, psychological and time commitments.
Although some women need just one or two therapies to restore fertility, it's possible that several different types of treatment may be needed. Treatments can either attempt to restore fertility through medication or surgery to help you get pregnant.
In our clinics we use natural complex therapy without surgery to boost fertility and dissolve the uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, stabilize fertility hormones level and thickness of endometrium, provide additionally male semen quality booster to target female fertilization.
Preventive ways for infertility
For women thinking about getting pregnant soon or in the future, these tips may help optimize fertility:
- Maintain a normal weight: Overweight and underweight women are at increased risk of ovulation disorders. If you need to lose weight, exercise moderately. Strenuous, intense exercise of more than five hours a week has been associated with decreased ovulation.
- Quit smoking: Tobacco has multiple negative effects on fertility, not to mention your general health and the health of a fetus. If you smoke and are considering pregnancy, quit now.
- Avoid alcohol: Heavy alcohol use may lead to decreased fertility. And any alcohol use can affect the health of a developing fetus. If you're planning to become pregnant, avoid alcohol, and don't drink alcohol while you're pregnant.
- Reduce stress: Some studies have shown that couples experiencing psychological stress had poorer results with infertility treatment. If you can, find a way to reduce stress in your life before trying to become pregnant.
- Limit caffeine: Research suggests that limiting caffeine intake to less than 200 milligrams a day shouldn't affect your ability to get pregnant. That's about one to two cups of 6 to 8 ounces of coffee per day
- Risking sexually transmitted infections that can result in tubal blockage and miscarriges
- Waiting too long to attempt conception.
What are the best home remedies to treat infertility in women?
While many women, men, and couples ask about how they can improve their fertility, there is no easy answer. Nevertheless, there are lifestyle and behavior choices that can impair fertility, namely, tobacco use, unhealthy body mass index (BMI), and alcohol/drug abuse.
If the woman or couple have no infertility risk factors, they can optimize their ability to conceive by timing intercourse with an over-the-counter ovulation predictor kit.
By having relations the day before, on the day, and the day after the kit detects a positive hormone surge, the couple will maximize chances to get pregnant. Once the kit turns positive, ovulation will occur within 24 to 36 hours.
Do infertile females have menstruation?
One of the most common reasons for infertility in women is ovulation disorders, and the most common cause is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that can result in no or infrequent periods.
Another condition that can prevent menses is an elevation in the hormone prolactin or when a woman has primary ovarian insufficiency (early menopause).
Certainly, women can have infertility for other reasons without affecting their periods.
Can suffering from UTIs multiple times lead to female infertility?
Mycoplasma, staphylococci, gonococci etc.can result in urinary tract infections and has been associated with pregnancy complications, including miscarriage.
Why are women nowadays more infertile?
The incidence of infertility remains approximately 15% in couples. However, more women are delaying childbearing for personal (lack of a partner) and professional (career responsibilities) reasons.
As women age, so do their eggs. Thus, the number of women experiencing challenges conceiving will increase due to their attempts at conception at a later age.
Do infertility issues run in families?
In general, fertility or infertility for that matter is not inherited. Nevertheless, two female diseases reduce fertility and have a genetic component, namely, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis.
While the exact genetic effect is unknown, these diseases can be more present in families.
Can abortion lead to female infertility?
Termination of pregnancy has not been shown to increase the risk of infertility unless a complication occurred that caused scarring inside the uterus as a result of the procedure. Fortunately, this is an uncommon event.
How to deal with female infertility?
Healthcare providers, family, and friends should never underestimate the devastation a woman, man, or couple experiences while enduring infertility.
The emotional impact has been shown in medical research to be analogous to receiving a cancer diagnosis. Infertility is a physical, emotional, and financial investment.
Hence, the patient must always be proactive and be their own advocate toward expediting evaluation, treatment, and, hopefully, a successful outcome.
