Are your doctors just shooing you away with some medical mumbo-jumbo? Take control of treatment into your hands and accelerate your infertility treatment in the right direction by properly understanding the causes of infertility. Once you understand the causes of infertility then you will begin to question everything about your line of treatment ensuring that you stay in control and on the right path. After all, it is your body and your desire to become parents and your right to know everything about it.
Let’s therefore begin by understanding the causes of infertility? While there are many infertility causes, here are some basic ones:
The primary point to understand is that the steps that lead to ovulation and fertilization needs to happen at the correct time and in the right order for a woman to get pregnant. Some issues that cause infertility could be present since birth (in both men and women) or could develop gradually as they grow. It is also important to understand that contrary to the belief of Indian society, infertility could be due to problems with men as well, not just with women.
Let’s first look at the most common medical reasons that affect our chances of getting pregnant.
Causes Of Infertility In Women
- Ovulation Disorder which affects the release of eggs from the ovary.
- Abnormalities with the opening of the cervix, uterine or cervical abnormalities.
- Benign uterine fibroids that may block the fallopian tubes.
- Growth of endometrial tissue (endometriosis) outside the uterus.
- Early menopause where the ovaries stop functioning.
- Certain types of cancers and their treatment that affect the reproductive organs.
- Delayed puberty or absence of it (amenorrhea)
- Quality and quantity of eggs (ascertained by AMH test)
- Closed or damaged fallopian tubes
- Shape of uterus
- Thyroid
- Hormonal imbalance
- Genetic Issues ( Ruled out by Karotyping tests)
Causes Of Infertility In Men
- Premature ejaculation that may cause problems with the delivery of sperm.
- Sperm Count – Quality, quantity and mortality of sperms should be in perfect condition.
- Cystic fibrosis/genetic problems.
- Blockage in the testicles.
- Damage/injury to the reproductive organs.
- Overexposure to chemicals/radiation.
- Smoking or intake of heavy medications (antibiotics, antihypertensive)
- Frequent exposure to heat (saunas, hot tubs) that may affect sperm count.
- Diabetes or other genetic defects
- Undescended testicles or enlarged vein in the testicles that could also affect the quality of sperm.
- Azoospermia
Read: Understanding Male Infertility | Low Sperm Count
Causes Of Infertility Led By Lifestyle
Besides, these there are those factors that are under our control.
Stress:
Most doctors now advice the TTC (Trying to Conceive) couples to avoid stress as much as they can, whether at home or at work. Sometimes, a peaceful and relaxed intercourse is all it takes to get pregnant. But, given our lifestyle and the heightened levels of stress that it brings forth, even this simple process seems to be eluding most couples.
Read: An Open Letter To My Sperm | Breaking The Errie Silence Around Male Infertility
Age:
As women age beyond 37, the number and quality of eggs may pose a problem. Similarly, men over 40 may be less fertile than those younger than them.
Over/Underweight:
It is often associated with a sedentary lifestyle and is often cited as a cause for infertility. A man’s sperm count may be low if he is overweight. At the same time women who have eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia) or those on a restrictive diet normally find it difficult to conceive.
Tobacco/Marijuana:
If either partner is addicted to smoking tobacco/marijuana, the chances of getting pregnant are reduced. In fact, among men, smoking is known to reduce sperm count and motility. Besides, it could also lead to birth defects.
Quick Lifestyle Changes That Improve Conception Chances
Not getting pregnant even after several years of marriage, is more of a mental agony. It is easy to point fingers at a problem. However, it is identifying a solution that matters and one that is sometimes more cumbersome than the problem itself.
Some of the solutions that have helped many and ones which you can follow too are:
Go Organic: Stay free of chemicals and pesticides that are commonly used in foods that we buy from our regular grocery stores. Though expensive, it is definitely worth every single rupee spent to buy from an organic store. Take care of your diet. Incorporate more of Ayurvedic or Mediterranean foods in your daily diet.
Medicines: Folic Acid, Omega 3 and 6, Vitamin D, Primrose supplements are some of the medicines that you should start right away. These are absolutely safe and simply help manage female hormones thus assisting in conception by preparing your body in the right way.
Take up A Hobby: To come out of the stress that the family or society imposes on you, take up a hobby. It is a great stress buster and will help you keep calm.
Light Exercise: Yoga, walking, swimming – pick up any light exercise that you are comfortable with. Keep your mind and body active. When we exercise our body releases a good hormone which is quite crucial to get pregnant.
Acupuncture: This is fast catching up. These Real Life Fertility Success Stories Will Prove That Acupuncture Can Treat Infertility, For Sure. For more understanding on this subject you must read, Acupuncture And Infertility | All You Must Know and A Guide To Understand Acupuncture Treatment. Acupuncture works on a holistic and much deeper level so it does makes an impact. However, try it only if you trust it. Skeptic mind will not lead to good results.
Whatever be the cause, remember, do not suffer in silence. Open up and discuss this with your doctor and get yourself treated. Sometimes, a simple change could do wonders. Take that first step and save yourself from falling into the vicious cycle of, I Didn’t Miss My Periods, Again.
For those who have been trying for a long time to conceive without success, it is best to visit a good doctor to get a clear picture of what is happening and what can be done to overcome it? While in most cases, the reasons are known, in some it is unexplained. Nevertheless, though this journey (marked by long wait outside the doctor’s clinic, tests and treatment) is arduous, remember you are not alone. There are many out there, struggling just like you to understand and take steps to rectify the problem.
Tags: causes of infertility Infertility Blog Infertility Causes What Causes Infertility Why Infertility Causes
[…] 10% of couples experiencing infertility have an underlying genetic cause. In the absence of a genetic evaluation for infertility, couples are routinely subjected to a […]
Hello
After a history of painful, heavy periods and having had an ovary removed,I was diagnosed with endometriosis. Because that my remaining fallopian tube was blocked, the only chance I and my husband had of conceiving was through IVF.
The condition meant that fertility treatment was very painful in spite of the treatment it wasn’t successful .
“From the age of 17 or 18, I had very bad periods, but my GP seemed uninterested. At 21, I had emergency surgery for appendicitis and awoke to discover I had also had an ovary removed, due to a large cyst. Although I had a histology (examination with a microscope of tissue removed during surgery), endometriosis (a condition in which endometrial cells, which normally line the uterus, implant around the outside of the uterus and/or ovaries, causing internal bleeding, pain and reduced fertility) was not diagnosed until much later.
[…] well the cause behind infertility and half the battle won. Keep a close eye on all the pointers prepare well for the next milestone […]