The Causes of Infertility Issues

Infertility is one of women’s biggest nightmares. Unable to give birth to a baby with your partner can cause problem in the relationship. A woman is considered infertile if she is not able to get pregnant after 12 months of trying. The term also goes for women who can get pregnant but always experience miscarriage. Although it only takes one sperm to make a baby, many couple still find it hard to conceive. Approximately 10 % of women in the US between age 15-44 are unable to get pregnant or stay pregnant.

The number one cause of infertility is ovulation problems that are mostly caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormone imbalance problem that can disrupt ovulation. Another condition causing ovulation issue is primary ovarian insufficiency (PO), in which a woman’s ovaries stop function normally before she reaches 40. Whereas menopause normally happens after age 45 or 55, POI happens earlier and is not the same as menopause. The obvious sign a woman does not ovulate is the irregular period and the absent of period.

There are also factors that can increase the risk of infertility in women. Age is the main factor, as when a woman is older, the ability of ovaries to release eggs decreases. The eggs are not as healthy and only little number of eggs left. The woman might also have health condition that contributes to infertility. Even though she can get pregnant, the risk of having miscarriage is higher. Other conditions that can also contribute to infertility include smoking, stress, poor diet, excessive exercise, obesity, excess alcohol consumption, sexual transmitted infections, and other health problems.

If a woman has conditions such as very painful periods, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis and more than one miscarriage, she needs to see doctor before she tries for a baby. Those conditions might make it hard for her to get pregnant or might cause miscarriage. Doctor will then examine the condition and give treatment accordingly so that the chance of being able to get pregnant increases.

If you think you have infertility issue, you will need to undergo examination and treatment. The outcome of the examination will tell you the cause of the infertility issue and the treatment accordingly. You should bear in mind that it might take a while to figure out the cause of the issue. The waiting moment might make you anxious or stress. To deal with the emotions, you need to always remember that stress can lead to even much worse condition. You need to stay calm while waiting for the result.