Understanding Infertility
Infertility is a condition that impacts both women and men. It is a medical issue involving the reproductive system, making it difficult for individuals to have children. In men, infertility means they cannot contribute to starting a pregnancy with their partner. In contrast, in women, it means they face difficulty in getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to its full term.
Infertility is a condition that impacts both women and men. It is a medical issue involving the reproductive system, making it difficult for individuals to have children. In men, infertility means they cannot contribute to starting a pregnancy with their partner. In contrast, in women, it means they face difficulty in getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to its full term.
Infertility Risk Factors in Women
- Age. As women get older, especially after the age of 35, their ability to have babies decreases, along with the quality of their eggs, which can make getting pregnant challenging.
- Endometriosis. Endometriosis can reduce the likelihood of conception by creating scar tissue and adhesions that can block or distort the fallopian tubes. This makes it tough for eggs to move from the ovaries to the uterus, making it harder for fertilization to happen.
- Hormone imbalance. Hormones play a huge role in ovulation, so if they’re imbalanced, it can impact ovulation or the lining of the uterus, making it more difficult for a fertilized egg to implant and grow.
- Ovulation disorders. Ovulation disorders are disturbances in the production of an egg during a woman’s menstrual cycle. The main disorders are polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hypothalamic dysfunction, premature ovarian failure (early menopause), and hyperprolactinemia.
Lifestyle factors. Smoking, excessively drinking alcohol, being overweight, having a poor diet, and being exposed to environmental toxins can all increase a woman’s risk of infertility. This applies to men too.
Infertility Risk Factors in Men
- Age. Similar to women, men may also experience infertility as they age, especially after reaching 40 years old.
- Environmental factors. Being around certain elements in our environment, such as chemicals or toxins, can reduce a man’s ability to produce healthy and functioning sperm.
- Heat exposure. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can slow down or reduce a man’s sperm production.
- Testicular injury/issues. Injuries to the testicles can affect sperm production and function. Issues like varicocele, which are enlarged veins within the scrotum, can also impair sperm production and function.
- Sexual health. Problems like difficulty getting erections, trouble ejaculating, or other related issues can also make it harder to have a baby.
Infertility Treatment
Being informed about treatment options for each gender is crucial to understand for partners who may be dealing with this issue.
Being informed about treatment options for each gender is crucial to understand for partners who may be dealing with this issue.
Infertility Treatments for Women
- Fertility medicine:Fertility medicine helps by getting the hormones in check to make ovulation happen, making it easier to get pregnant. Plus, it can help address certain ovulation disorders, too.
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI): IUI is a fertility treatment that helps sperm get to the egg more easily. This process involves taking a specially prepared sperm and placing it right into the uterus around the time of ovulation, increasing the chance of fertilization.
- In vitro fertilization (IVF): IVF involves taking eggs from the woman’s ovaries and fertilizing them with a sperm in a lab, then putting the embryos back into her uterus. IVF is for tougher causes of infertility, like blocked fallopian tubes, or older age. This is also an ideal treatment for couples when the male is experiencing severe fertility issues.
Surgery: Common surgeries like laparoscopic surgery, hysteroscopy, tubal surgeries, and ovarian drilling target specific issues causing infertility, such as endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes, and others.
Infertility Treatments for Men
- Lifestyle changes: Changes such as quitting smoking, finding ways to reduce stress levels, reducing alcohol consumption, and exercising can all help improve infertility in men.
- Surgery: Surgical procedures like varicocele repair, sperm retrieval techniques, or reproductive organ repairs can address several underlying issues related to male infertility.
- Medicine: Depending on what’s causing the infertility, different medicines like hormones, antibiotics, antioxidants, and others can help men.
