Women Causes of Infertility- Major Reasons for Female Fertility Issues
The female’s ovulation capability is a vital component of conception success. Simply put, if the female is unable to produce an egg, you can expect to have no baby. The primary indicators of a potential problem with ovulation are either totally absent or intermittent monthly menstrual periods.
Real Life Situations
Two common situations involving a woman’s ovulation are PCOS and POI. Polycystic ovarian syndrome affects the normal course of ovulation and is defined as a hormal problem. It is the highest recorded cause of female infertility.
On the other hand, primary ovarian insufficiency, is a condition wherein the female’s ovaries cease to function properly before she turns 35 years old. POI is often mistaken to be early menopause, which is a different condition. Click here for info about issues related to treatment for pcos.
Other Associated Causes
There are other uterine problems that also contribute to infertility.
- Uterual Fibroids (i.e. non-cancerous bumps on the uterine walls
- Clogged Fallopian tubes caused by ectopic pregnancy surgery, pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis
- Physical issues with the uterus
Click here for info about issues related to ovarian problems.
Factors That Increase Infertility Risks
Besides problems with health, genetic and lifestyle factors can also influence infertility among women. These would include:
- Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking
- Poor nutrition
- Age creep
- Too much physical activity
- Stress
- Being underweight or overweight
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Health issues that affect the body’s hormone producing abilities
Infertility Women Causes - The Age Factor
Many working women often do not have children until their 30s and 40s…and a third of the total cases on infertility involve women who are over 35 years old.
What Makes Age Vital To The Fertility Issue?
- Ovaries weaken over time, and this affects their egg-releasing capacity
- An older woman produces fewer eggs
- Eggs released by an older woman are not as potent
- Health problems that may interfere with fertility creep up as the woman gets older
- The incidence of miscarriage in older women is higher
Click here for info about issues related to complex ovarian cysts.
Stimulating Fertility with Drugs
These drugs are often prescribed for women who have fertility problems.
- Clomiphene citrate: Often recommended for women with PCOS and hormonal related malfunctions. You might recognize it by the brand Clomid, which is ingested orally.
- Human menopausal gonadotropin: hMG is an injection used to stimulate the ovaries directly so that egg formation occurs. Popular brands include Repronex and Pergonal.
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog: Gn-RH is a medication often prescribed for women who don’t ovulate regularly. It affects the pituitary gland to alter the timing and process of ovulation. It is available as an injectable or nasal spray form.
- Follicle stimulating hormone: The FSH is also an injectable and acts on the ovaries to encourage ovulation. Well-known drug brands are Gonal-F and Follistim.
- Metformin: Metformin is recommended for women with either PCOS or insulin resistance. This drug, often taken simultaneously with clomiphene or FSH, is designed to regulate male hormones levels in women and cause them to ovulate.
- Bromocriptine: Prolactin is a type of hormone that induces milk production in the mammary glands. Medium to high levels of prolactin may affect ovulation and cause it to stop. Bromocriptine can slow down the release of prolactin and help make ovulation happen.
Multiple Birth Risk
While majority of fertility medications truly succeed at helping a woman conceive, they also more likely lead to the development of multiple fetuses. Women who carry more than one fetus are prone to more pregnancy problems than those who carry just one. More than one fetus in the womb raises the risk for the to born at lot earlier than their due…and a prematurely born baby is more at risk of having health problems as he or she grows older.
Fertility drugs also have a high risk for a medical condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which can be life threatening.
Because of these health risks & the high cost of assisted reproductive technology, alternative methods have become popular for overcoming infertility without adverse side effects. Such remedies cover a wide range of natural treatments that are meant to assist body healing. Popular natural treatments include acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and nutritional therapy.