Infertility is said to happen when one is not able to get pregnant after a year of trying. Or if a woman is 35 years old or older, then six months. Women who do or can get pregnant but find it difficult to stay pregnant may also be infertile. Infertility can happen if there are problems with any of the steps during the process of getting pregnant which can be taken care of with infertility treatment.
Most cases of female infertility are caused due to problems with ovulation. Without ovulation, there are no eggs being fertilized. Some signs include irregular or absent menstrual periods. These problems are often caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome also referred to as PCOS. It is a hormone imbalance problem that interferes with normal ovulation. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility. Primary ovarian insufficiency or POI is another cause of ovulation problems and occurs when a woman's ovaries stop working normally before she reaches 40. It is to be noted that POI is not the same as early menopause.
However, infertility is not only a woman's problem. Both men and women can have problems that cause infertility. Infertility in men is most often caused by varicocele, a problem that occurs when the veins on a man's testicle(s) are too large. This heats the testicle which in turn affects the number or shape of the sperm. Sometimes a man is born with such problems that may affect his sperm. Other times these problems start later in life due to illness or injury. For example, cystic fibrosis often causes infertility in men. Heavy use of alcohol, usage of drugs, environmental toxin like pesticides and lead, smoking cigarettes, age, health problems such as mumps, serious conditions like kidney disease, or hormone problems, radiation treatment and chemotherapy for cancer are some of the factors that may reduce the health or number of sperm in men.
Fortunately, today, there are many safe and effective treatments for overcoming infertility. These infertility treatments significantly improve the chances of becoming pregnant. There are specific treatments for infertility recommended by doctors on the basis of test results, the time period the couple has been trying to get pregnant for, the age of the man and woman both, the overall health of the man and woman and the preference of the partners.
Infertility treatment can be taken in the form of intrauterine insemination (IUI) which involves sperm being placed into the womb through a fine plastic tube. The collected sperm is washed in a fluid and passed through a tube that enters the cervix and extends into the womb. This is to increase the chance of conception.
Some women may experience temporary cramps, similar to period cramps, after or during IUI, but other than that, the procedure should be painless.
There is also in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in which the fertilization of the egg occurs outside the body. The woman takes fertility medication so that her ovaries can produce more eggs than normal. These eggs are then removed from her ovaries, fertilized with sperm in a laboratory dish and then put back inside the woman's body. Help can also be taken from a donor in case the man has infertility problem.
Most cases of female infertility are caused due to problems with ovulation. Without ovulation, there are no eggs being fertilized. Some signs include irregular or absent menstrual periods. These problems are often caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome also referred to as PCOS. It is a hormone imbalance problem that interferes with normal ovulation. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility. Primary ovarian insufficiency or POI is another cause of ovulation problems and occurs when a woman's ovaries stop working normally before she reaches 40. It is to be noted that POI is not the same as early menopause.
However, infertility is not only a woman's problem. Both men and women can have problems that cause infertility. Infertility in men is most often caused by varicocele, a problem that occurs when the veins on a man's testicle(s) are too large. This heats the testicle which in turn affects the number or shape of the sperm. Sometimes a man is born with such problems that may affect his sperm. Other times these problems start later in life due to illness or injury. For example, cystic fibrosis often causes infertility in men. Heavy use of alcohol, usage of drugs, environmental toxin like pesticides and lead, smoking cigarettes, age, health problems such as mumps, serious conditions like kidney disease, or hormone problems, radiation treatment and chemotherapy for cancer are some of the factors that may reduce the health or number of sperm in men.
Fortunately, today, there are many safe and effective treatments for overcoming infertility. These infertility treatments significantly improve the chances of becoming pregnant. There are specific treatments for infertility recommended by doctors on the basis of test results, the time period the couple has been trying to get pregnant for, the age of the man and woman both, the overall health of the man and woman and the preference of the partners.
Infertility treatment can be taken in the form of intrauterine insemination (IUI) which involves sperm being placed into the womb through a fine plastic tube. The collected sperm is washed in a fluid and passed through a tube that enters the cervix and extends into the womb. This is to increase the chance of conception.
Some women may experience temporary cramps, similar to period cramps, after or during IUI, but other than that, the procedure should be painless.
There is also in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in which the fertilization of the egg occurs outside the body. The woman takes fertility medication so that her ovaries can produce more eggs than normal. These eggs are then removed from her ovaries, fertilized with sperm in a laboratory dish and then put back inside the woman's body. Help can also be taken from a donor in case the man has infertility problem.
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