It is estimated that globally
between 60-80 million couples suffer from infertility every year,
Here are the five possible
facts why you might be struggling with infertility and what you can do about
it.
1. You don’t have enough
healthy eggs:
You’re born with a fixed
number of eggs but the number and health of your eggs declines as you get
older. In fact, a healthy and fertile 30-year-old has only 20 percent chances
of getting pregnant each month,
according to a report published in American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
If you are consuming fertility drugs then number of eggs further decreases.
What to do: Optimizing egg
health is a key, so gets to a healthy weight and if you smoke, quit now. Do not
consume drugs for egg formation without IUI and IVF. Consult a good fertility
centre and try to complete your family before 35 years of age.
2. it’s your partner’s
problem:
Male infertility is
responsible for up to one-third of infertility cases. If your partner is
overweight, alcoholic or a smoker, it could be affecting your chances of
getting pregnant. An infection or inflammation of the prostate glands might
also be the cause.
What to do: Losing weight and
quitting smoking are the keys, but it’s also important for your partner to see
his doctor for a physical and a semen analysis. Medication, Intrauterine
insemination (IUI) or IVF are options depending on the problem. Take lots of
citrus fruits and anti-oxidants.
3. You don’t ovulate:
Polycystic ovary syndrome
(PCOS), which can cause irregular menstrual cycles and an increase in male
hormones, affects about 5 to10 percent of women and is one of the most common
reasons that women don’t ovulate. Women with infrequent menstrual periods,
increased growth of hair on face, chest, stomach etc are likely to have PCOS.
In addition, being overweight, obese or underweight, alcoholic as well as having
a thyroid imbalance, can affect ovulation.
What to do: One of the
best ways to improve your fertility is to have a healthy weight. It’s also
important to be screened for polycystic ovary syndrome and rule out other
medical conditions. If you already know you don’t ovulate, consult Infertility
specialists for it.
4. Endometriosis:
Endometriosis is a medical
problem or a common disorder that has emotional consequences for women. This
disorder is currently affecting about 89 million young women in the
reproductive age group worldwide, out of which 25 million are Indian women. It
causes the lining of the uterine cavity to appear in the abdominal cavity,
which can cause painful periods, heavy bleeding, and infertility in 30 to 50
percent of women. You can say that it is the main reason for stomach pain and
inability to conceive in women between 25 to 30 years of age.
What to do: Getting
pregnant is already a challenge with endometriosis, so seek treatment as soon
as you plan to get pregnant. Young women with endometriosis who want to
conceive may require specialized treatments like IUI or IVF (test tube
baby).
5. Your fallopian tubes
are blocked:
When the fallopian tubes are
blocked or damaged, tubal factor, which accounts for about 35 percent of
infertility, occurs. Tubal factor infertility can be caused by a previous
surgery, endometriosis or an STD. Sexually transmitted diseases, especially Chlamydia,
years later will contribute to tubal factor infertility.
What to do: We have to
make sure that the tubes are open, otherwise there’s no way for sperm and egg
to communicate. Your doctor can screen for tubal factor with an x-ray and if
the tubes are blocked, IVF is the best treatment.
