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Motherhood - Common Causes of Infertility
Your Baby Today: Pregnancy: Conception
Common Causes of Infertility
By Michelle Lee for Your Baby Today
When you and your spouse are trying to
conceive, months of fruitless attempts can feel like an eternity.
But a fertility expert may be able to help.
More than six million couples in the U.S. struggle with infertility,
which affects about 10 percent of all people of reproductive
age. If you're under 35, see a fertility specialist if you've
been unsuccessfully trying to conceive for a year; however,
if you're over 35, wait only six months, since your chances
of conceiving after that age diminish greatly. Your ob-gyn
may be able to field some general questions, but it's a good
idea to go to a reproductive endocrinologist, who has more
expertise with infertility.
There are many possible causes of infertility. About a third
of cases can be attributed to male factors, another third
to female factors, and a final third to a combination of both
partners, or are simply inexplicable. Here, some of the most
common conditions that cause infertility:
- Ovulatory disorders: A condition
in which the egg isn't properly released, or isn't released
at all, from the ovaries.
Prevalence: Occurs in about 40 percent of all infertility
cases.
Diagnosis: Your doctor may be able to tell if you
have an ovulatory disorder by analyzing your menstrual
history. Irregular periods or a complete lack of menstruation
may be the clue, although some women with normal periods
can also suffer from ovulatory disorders. Your doctor
may also perform a blood test at certain times during
your menstrual cycle or an ultrasound to clarify whether
ovulation is occurring.
Treatment: Usually consists of fertility drugs
that stimulate ovulation, like Clomid and Follistim.
- Blocked fallopian tubes:
The fallopian tubes may be either totally or partially
blocked, slowing or completely preventing the flow of
sperm to the egg.
Prevalence: Occurs in about 30 percent of all infertility
problems.
Diagnosis: X-rays can usually reveal if the fallopian
tubes are blocked. Your doctor can also use laparoscopy,
which involves inserting a narrow telescope-like instrument
through a small incision below your navel to view your
reproductive organs.
Treatment: Surgery to remove the obstruction or
in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF involves removing eggs
from a woman, fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory,
then transferring them into the uterus a few days later.
- Sperm disorders: The sperm
can be abnormally shaped, unable to move properly, or
too few in number. Infectious diseases, such as mumps,
or an inadequate production of certain sex hormones can
lead to a low sperm count.
Prevalence: Occurs in about 40 percent of all infertility
cases.
Diagnosis: Semen analysis. A semen sample is taken
and tested in a lab. If problems are detected, your doctor
may suggest a urologist who specializes in male infertility.
Treatment: Most often, artificial insemination,
which involves injecting sperm through a narrow catheter
into the woman's reproductive tract.
- Endometriosis: A condition
in which the lining in the uterus, which usually sheds
during menstruation, grows outside the uterus. Endometrial
lesions can block the fallopian tubes or impair ovulatory
function.
Prevalence: Occurs in about 20 percent of all fertility
cases. About 70 percent of women who have endometriosis
experience infertility.
Diagnosis: Laparoscopy, a surgical procedure in
which a thin scope is placed through the belly button
into the abdomen to view the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian
tubes directly.
Treatment: Laparoscopic surgery to remove the lesions--laser
laparoscopy can remove endometrial tissue and blockages
from the body; hormonal medications, such as estrogen
and progesterone; or in vitro fertilization.
The content on these pages is provided
as general information only and should not be substituted
for the advice of your physician.
© Studio
One Networks
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