Women Causing Infertility- The Main Causes Of Fertility Problems In Women
Female ovulation is an essential ingredient of success at conception. In short, a woman who has no means of producing an egg will have zero chance of conceiving. The primary indicators of a potential problem with ovulation are either totally absent or intermittent monthly menstrual periods.
Female Conditions
Two common situations involving a woman’s ovulation are PCOS and POI. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is characterized by a problem with the hormones, which then affects the normal ovulation process. This is the highest recorded reason for female infertility.
Primary ovarian insufficiency, on the other hand, occurs when the woman’s ovaries fail to functioning like they should before she becomes 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.
Related Causes
There are other uterine problems that also contribute to infertility.
- Uterual Fibroids (i.e. non-cancerous bumps on the uterine walls
- Congested 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
Aside from health problems, lifestyle and genetic elements can also cause infertility in women. Inclusive of:
- Alcohol and smoking
- Insufficient nutrient intake due to poor diet
- Advancing age
- Too much physical activity
- Excessive stress
- Under or overweight conditions
- Sexually related diseases
- Health issues that affect the body’s hormone producing abilities
Infertility Women Causes - The Age Factor
Often American women often do not have children until their 30s and 40s…and 1/3 of the total number of infertility cases involve females over the age of 35.
Why is Age a Key Factor to Fertility?
- Ovaries deteriorate over time, and this affects their egg-releasing capability
- Generally speaking, an older female will produce less eggs than when she was young
- The eggs of an older woman are less healthy
- Health problems that may interfere with fertility creep up as the woman gets older
- There is a higher incidence of miscarriage in older women
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 its popular brand Clomid, an oral drug.
- 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 acts on one’s pituitary gland and influences the timing of the ovulation process. You may buy either the injectable version or the nasal spray.
- Follicle stimulating hormone: The FSH is also an injectable and acts on the ovaries to encourage ovulation. Popular brands are Gonal-F and Follistim.
- Metformin: Metformin is prescribed for women with either insulin resistance or PCOS. 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 hormone that causes production of milk in the mammary glands. Prolactin in sufficient levels causes ovulation to stop. Bromocriptine slows down prolactin release so ovulation can take place.
Multiple Birth Risk
While fertility medications are known to be very successful in helping a woman finally conceive, they also can lead to the formation and development of more than one fetus. Women who carry more than one fetus are prone to more pregnancy problems than those who carry just one. Multiple fetuses in the womb are more likely to be born premature…and a prematurely born baby is more at risk of having health problems as he or she grows older.
Fertility drugs can also cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a medical condition which has life threatening implications.
Because of the increased risks to health plus the rising cost of assisted reproductive technology, infertility problems have addressed with alternative methods minus the adverse effects. These remedies cover a vast range from natural healing therapies which are meant to help the body repair itself. Some of the common alternative therapies include Chinese medicine, acupuncture and nutrition-based treatments.