Infertility is diagnosed in a couple who are trying unsuccessfully to conceive a child. Remember that infertility is a medical problem and not genetic, psychological, sexual, etc. There is a reason to worry if pregnancy does not occur within two years after the start of living together in the absence of protection. To determine the true causes of infertility, a couple must undergo a complete medical examination. In this article we will talk about the main causes of female infertility:
1. Aging
A woman’s age is one of the most important factors affecting her fertility. We are all born with a fixed number of eggs but with age the number of inactive follicles increases. This entails the inability of the egg to reach the optimal stage of maturation, which often leads to cycles without ovulation.
Premature aging of the eggs is also important because of chromosomal changes that may lead to the impossibility of fertilizing the egg, impaired embryo development or miscarriage.
2. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
This is a hormonal imbalance that leads to menstrual irregularities and ovulation. Polycystic ovary syndrome develops in women as tiny cysts on the ovaries and the disease is accompanied by irregular periods, excess weight (especially in the abdomen), excess hair on the face and body, acne, and male pattern baldness.
With the proper treatment of this condition as the appointment of drugs that lower the secretion of insulin, a woman can still become pregnant, endure and give birth to a healthy baby.
3. Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition in which the tissue lining the uterus grows outside the uterus, usually in the ovaries or in the fallopian tubes. The endometrial tissue begins to menstruate in the same way as in the uterus, which can cause the formation of ovarian cysts and the termination of ovulation.
At the initial stage of the disease, doctors prescribe combined estrogen-progestogen drugs to the patient.
4. Fallopian Obstruction
Blocked fallopian tubes do not allow the egg to pass from the ovaries to the uterus, which makes fertilization impossible. Obstruction can occur for various reasons, both because of infections in the pelvic organs that are sexually transmitted and after inflammation of the abdominal cavity.
To get rid of the disease you need to perform laparoscopy and remove adhesions formed in the fallopian tubes.
5. Sexually Transmitted Infections
If STI is not treated, it can lead to inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs. Women who have experienced STIs such as chlamydia, do not always experience visible symptoms and do not seek treatment in time.
This can lead to scarring in the fallopian tubes, causing an obstruction which can only be treated with surgery.
6. Male Infertility
In 40% of cases, conception is impossible due to problems with mobility, activity, and viability of the male seed. That is why doctors recommend the man to be examined first. You need to conduct a spermogram, an analysis that determines the number and activity of sperm.
If the proportion of active sperm is less than 50%, then this is male infertility and doctors will prescribe a number of additional examinations.
7. Immunological Incompatibility
Doctors find immunological incompatibility in 15% of infertile couples. This is the state when the woman’s immune system reacts too actively to the partner’s seed. In some cases when the sperm enters the vagina, the female body begins to produce specific antibodies that change the composition of cervical mucus. As a result, it becomes too viscous and sperm quickly loses their mobility.
If there is a suspicion of immunological incompatibility, doctors conduct additional tests to identify antibodies in the woman body and recommend to try intrauterine insemination of the woman.