Getting pregnant is harder than you think. If you are very young and not ready to have children yet, this sentence may appeal to you. But for many couples trying to conceive, the reality of infertility is extremely discouraging and stressful. Regardless of the cause, female infertility is a major nightmare for many families. If you are also looking to conceive soon, stay tuned for the rest of this article to learn the main causes of infertility in women and find out how to treat infertility.
Alan B. “People are always surprised at how low fertility some people have,” Dr. Copperman, director of infertility at Mount Sinai Hospital and director of the New York Society for Reproductive Medicine, tells SELF. Not all eggs are normal, and not all eggs are fertilized. In fact, the probability of a couple having a child each month is only 15 to 20 percent.
“If we analyze all the causes of infertility, the main cause is the man: yes, 40 percent! Sometimes, a man’s lack of talent can be the only reason; And sometimes, it is just one factor among others that affects a couple’s ability to conceive.
In fact, it is very difficult to know why a woman does not get pregnant. Usually, it is not a single factor but a combination of factors that cause this problem in women. In this article, you will discover the most common causes of infertility and the causes of infertility in women. If you are curious to know what causes female infertility, stay with us!
The cause of female infertility.
1. Delayed Pregnancy
One of the most common causes of infertility in women is that they continue to delay pregnancy to focus on work, family, and other personal issues. For this reason, some women choose to get pregnant in the last years of their fertility.
2. Fallopian Tube Damage
This is one of the leading causes of infertility in women. This disorder affects about 30% of cases of fertility problems. When the fallopian tubes are blocked, it is difficult for sperm to reach the egg or transfer the fertilized egg to the uterus, leading to infertility.
3. Anemia or Low Hemoglobin
Studies have shown that women who do not consume enough iron may suffer from a lack of ovulation, a condition called anovulation. This leads to poor egg health and can reduce fertility chances by up to 60% compared to people with sufficient iron in their blood.
4. Thyroid Problem
Hypothyroidism is associated with various reproductive disorders, ranging from abnormal sexual development to menstrual irregularities and infertility. Many studies have revealed the prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity in infertility patients, suggesting a prevalence of AITD (autoimmune thyroid disease) in infertility clinics.
5. Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition in which the tissues lining the uterus begin to grow in other places, such as the ovaries, the back of the uterus, or the fallopian tubes, causing irritation and the growth of scar tissue (the excess tissue that lines the uterus contains organs). together) occurs unusually). connect). This disorder is one of the most common causes of infertility in women. According to the American Association for the Treatment of Infertility, this disorder is not only extremely painful (although some women feel no pain), but it can also block the fallopian tubes, interfere with implantation, cause pelvic inflammatory disease, and even impair the function of the fallopian tubes. quality of life. Life. The egg makes it very difficult for the affected person to become pregnant. Scar tissue can also form after pelvic surgery or trauma to the reproductive organs, such as a dilation and curettage (D&C) during a termination or abortion, or after a previous cesarean section.
Armando Hernández-Rey, an endocrinologist and infertility specialist at Conceptions Florida, believes that if a couple tries to conceive at a young age, the chances of getting pregnant despite endometriosis increase. He says, "A woman who gets pregnant at age 23 and has even severe endometriosis is not as severely affected by this disease as a woman who waits until age 37 and is diagnosed with this disease later. That's because your eggs." are generally of better quality, increasing your chances of getting pregnant despite endometriosis.
Typically, 30-50% of women with endometriosis may also experience infertility. Seeking medical treatment before trying to conceive can help you address this issue.
While treatment for this condition varies from person to person, surgical removal of scar tissue can improve the chances of pregnancy, especially when combined with fertility treatments such as IVF.
6. Tuberculosis of the genital tract.
Tuberculosis in the reproductive system is another cause of infertility in women. Dr. Aniruddha Mapani, an infertility specialist, explains, “Although contact with the TB bacteria occurs through the lungs (as the bacillus is inhaled), most of us can overcome the infection, which is why the bacteria remain dormant in the body and do no harm.” However, sometimes these dormant bacteria are reactivated and can then spread throughout the body and cause infection of the cells of this organ. This bacteria enters the genital tract and infects it.
7. Use of plasticizers
These products reduce sperm motility and transmission. Reproductive physiologist Joanna Ellington says that water-based lubricants often contain glycerin (which is toxic to sperm) and propylene glycol, both of which are highly hyperosmotic. These products cause irreversible damage to sperm and loss of motility. Sperm damage and their insufficient ability to penetrate the cervix after exposure to psychotropic drugs can be an obstacle to conception in some couples. Therefore, taking psychotropic drugs can be considered one of the causes of infertility in women.
8. Uterine Fibroids
This largely depends on the type of fibroids you have. Less than three percent of women undergoing infertility treatment have fibroids without any other reason for their infertility problem.
9. Premature Menopause
Another cause of infertility in women is early menopause. However, remember that even if you cannot use your own eggs, you can use a donated egg to conceive!
10. Sluggish Ovaries
Women with poor ovarian response, as IVF clinics call them, are less likely to conceive and have a live birth than members of the normal response group, regardless of their age. People with normal ovarian response can be selected for IVF techniques.
11. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
WebMD reported, “The development of scar tissue in the fallopian tubes is permanent, and the fallopian tubes can become blocked by this scar tissue or fluid, leading to infertility. About one in ten women cannot get pregnant after pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).”
12. Male Infertility
In about one in five infertile couples, the problem lies solely with the man. An estimated one in 20 men have a fertility problem with a low sperm count at the time of ejaculation.
13. Improper Lifestyle Choices
Poor nutrition and diet are other reasons for infertility in women.
14. Stress or Hormonal Problems
Women who have hard, stressful jobs are at risk for infertility, researchers say. These women often deny the stress they experience in their lives. But the truth is that the pressure of work and responsibilities is one of the causes of female infertility.
15. Urinary tract infections and other medical problems.
About 35% of women with infertility problems suffer from genital tract infections.
16. Irregular menstrual periods.
Irregular periods as well as irregular periods in some months as well as heavy or light bleeding prevent the release of the mature egg from the ovary.
17. Poor sex life
Escaping sex, failed relationships and extreme stress can be a sign that you have not chosen the right path for your life together. In fact, the lack of a proper and healthy sex life is another reason for female infertility.
18. Emotional disorders
Studies conclude that stress, depression, and anxiety can affect fertility. A new study on stress and infertility explains how many studies have shown that people with severe depression are less likely to be fertile than others.
19. Smoking, drug, and alcohol use.
Smoking, drug use, and alcohol use damage sperm and make them less likely to fertilize the egg. Therefore, these bad habits, which are among the causes of infertility and sterility in women, should be abandoned as soon as possible.
20. Lack of sleep, long trips and driving.
Lack of sleep at night can affect your ability to conceive. Sleep has a significant effect on the body's hormonal system, so it controls a woman's menstrual cycle and regulates ovulation.
21. Drug overdose
According to a 2003 study, drug abuse can have serious effects on male infertility, including reduced sperm count, reduced semen volume, and sperm motility problems.
22. Immune system disease
Impaired immune function can affect fertility and increase the risk of miscarriage. Women with this condition need two levels of treatment: the first layer for conception and the second layer to prevent miscarriage after conception. For this reason, women with asthma, diabetes, or kidney disease suffer from infertility.
23. Being overweight or unusually thin
Women are always warned that being too thin is much worse than being too fat when trying to conceive. A study shows that thin women are less likely to get pregnant than overweight women, including dangerously obese women. Choosing the right lifestyle and diet will solve the weight problem, which is one of the causes of infertility in women.
24. Pollution
According to a report in the journal ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES, pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), industrial compounds and pesticides that are no longer manufactured but are still found in older products can reduce a couple's ability to conceive by 29%. So avoid these pollutants if possible, which are known to be one of the causes of infertility and sterility in women.
25. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
According to the CDC, polycystic ovary syndrome is one of the most common causes of infertility in women. This disorder is caused by a hormonal imbalance that causes several small cysts to develop in the ovaries. This syndrome also destroys the regularity of the cycle and leads to irregular periods or even the absence of periods for several months. According to the PCOS Foundation, millions of women live with the condition without knowing it, 10 percent of women are fertile, but less than half are diagnosed with the condition.
26. Other hormonal factors affecting ovulation.
According to the Mayo Clinic, irregular ovulation is the main cause of about 25 percent of infertility cases. Although PCOS is the most common cause, accounting for 70% of infertility cases due to irregular ovulation, hormonal imbalances can affect or disrupt ovulation, making conception less likely.
In many of these scenarios, the root cause is a disorder of the hypothalamus and pituitary glands in the brain, which are responsible for secreting reproductive hormones. Changes in the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and prolactin can affect ovulation.
Such a disorder is called premature ovarian failure and occurs when a woman's ovaries stop functioning normally or degenerate before the age of 40. According to the National Infertility Association report, this condition is less common than PCOS; one in 100 women under the age of 40 suffer from it, but it is a leading cause of infertility in women. Premature ovarian failure can also be due to a genetic or autoimmune factor.
27. Other unknown causes
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, about 5 to 10 percent of couples who have difficulty conceiving have all normal fertility tests. In this case, or in cases where only minor abnormalities are detected that should not cause infertility, it is called unexplained infertility. The duration of treatment should vary depending on the woman's age: if she is under 35, doctors will try simpler treatments such as fertility drugs and artificial insemination; if she is older and seems suitable, you can proceed directly to IVF.
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