A woman’s fertility is influenced by her age: female
fertility peaks in the early to mid 20’s and declines slowly until the age of
35, However, there are a number of younger women who, despite their perceived fertility,
have difficulty in conceiving.
It is generally advised that women under the age of 35 age wait for one year before investigating why they are failing to conceive.
It is generally advised that women under the age of 35 age wait for one year before investigating why they are failing to conceive.
There are two types of infertility:
Primary infertility: where someone who has never conceived a child in the past
has difficulty conceiving.
Secondary infertility: where a person has had one or more
pregnancies in the past, but is having difficulty conceiving again. It is estimated that 1/3 of the causes of infertility are
associated with male factors such as poor sperm quality, 1/3 attributed to
female factors. Three of the most common conditions that contribute to
early female infertility are pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis and
polycystic ovary syndrome.
Pelvic Inflammatory
Disease
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is an infection of the
female reproductive organs, usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection
(STI). Although PID can often be treated quickly and effectively, if left
untreated, it can lead to infertility.
As well as increasing your risk of having an ectopic
pregnancy, scarring or abscesses in the fallopian tubes can make it difficult
for you to get pregnant if eggs cannot pass easily into the womb.
It's estimated that about 1 in every 10 women with PID becomes infertile as a
result of the condition, with the highest risk in women who had delayed
treatment or repeated episodes of PID.
Endometriosis
It is primarily found in young women aged between 25 and
40. Endometriosis occurs when the endometrium, which normally lines the inside
of the womb, is found instead on the outside, most commonly on the ovaries and
the top of the vagina. This induces a chronic inflammatory reaction that causes
internal scarring, pelvic pain, painful periods, painful intercourse, and
infertility.
One of the main complications of endometriosis is
difficulty getting pregnant or infertility.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition
that affects how a woman’s ovaries function. Polycystic ovaries contain a large
number of harmless cysts up to 8mm in size. The cysts are under-developed sacs
in which eggs develop. Often in PCOS, these sacs are unable to release an egg,
meaning ovulation doesn't take place.
Diagnosis is usually made during a woman’s teens and early twenties.
Signs and symptoms include:
- Irregular periods or no periods at all
- Difficulty getting pregnant
- Excessive hair growth - usually on the face, chest, back or buttocks
- Weight gain
- Thinning hair and hair loss from the head
- Oily skin or acne.
PCOS is one of the most common causes of female
infertility, because women with it often fail to ovulate or ovulate
infrequently; they have irregular or absent periods and find it difficult to
get pregnant. Many women discover they have PCOS when they're trying to get
pregnant and are unsuccessful.
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