Infertility Challenges

The majority of infertility problems lie with the woman. So, while there are many different causes of infertility but more than half of the cases of infertility are a result of female conditions. The rest of the cases are due to sperm disorders in the man or even unexplained causes. In order for a woman to become pregnant, her body needs to menstruate properly. A very common cause of infertility is due to ovulation problems. Women can also have tubal blockage, uterine problems and previous tubal ligation which can cause her to be infertile.

A woman's age has a major role in how fertile they are. The ability to conceive naturally decreases over time as part of the normal aging process. Women lose about 1000 eggs each month. Plus, conditions like PCOS, endometriosis or certain sexually transmitted diseases worsen over time and can eventually lead to infertility.

Another major cause of infertility is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). PID is an extremely serious pelvic inflammation caused by leaving vaginal or cervical infections like chlamydia or gonorrhea untreated. Scarring, which can block fallopian tubes, occurs when bacteria makes it way up through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes, ovaries and surrounding tissues. However, after treatment for PID, pregnancy is often accomplished through IVF.

One of the leading causes of infertility is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder. PCOS disrupts the woman's normal ovulation cycle. An inability to ovulate or ovulating irregularly is the cause of infertility in women with PCOS. Although, PCOS is treatable through medications like Metformin which reduces symptoms associated with PCOS by helping the body's ability to absorb insulin, thus correcting hormone levels.

Hormone levels should also be checked if a couple is having a hard time conceiving. Hormones are produced by the hypothalamus, pancreas, ovaries, testes, pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands. Diseases that affect any of these things can lead to infertility as well.

While there are several medical reasons for infertility, the couple also has to look at their lifestyle for causes of infertility. Things like smoking, consuming too much alcohol or illegal substances, weight issues, sexually-transmitted diseases or even too much stress or exercise are all factors which cause infertility.

Trying to conceive can be a very stressful thing for a couple if it does not happen right away. When doctors are unable to diagnose any specific infertility problems within the woman or the man, they are labeled as unexplained infertility. Most of the time, the couple just needs to lighten up - reduce the stress in their lives - and get a better understanding of when the woman is ovulating in order to make their dreams of a family come true. The most important thing to remember is to keep stress levels low.