Couples dealing with infertility need to educate themselves if they want to beat the incredible odds stacked against them. You are considered infertile if you fail to conceive after a year of trying. Most doctors won't even see you until a year has passed.
There are many reasons that a couple fails to reproduce a child. A physical exam by a medical professional may find that there is something inside you that is failing to allow reproduction to occur.
Female Factor Infertility
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), an endocrine disorder where your body produces too much of the androgen hormones. This disrupts ovulation making conception impossible. PCOS is also associated with obesity due to insulin resistance. Other symptoms include excessive hair growth, irregular periods, and acne.
Endometriosis, when uterine tissue implants and grows outside of the uterus affecting the function of the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes. Endometriosis responds to the hormonal cycle to grow, shed and bleed with the lining of the uterus each month, leading to scarring and inflammation. Pelvic pain and infertility are common side effects.
Tubal Blockages affect the ability of the egg to reach the uterus for conception to take place. Tubal blockages are caused by fibroids, STDs, and even a previous ectopic pregnancy.
Thyroid conditions interrupt your cycle affecting your ability to conceive.
Certain lifestyle factors interfering with your fertility including excessive caffeine intake and certain medications. There are also certain diseases that can make you infertile.
Male Factor Infertility
Abnormal sperm production occurs when the male's sperm aren't properly shaped and are unable to move toward the egg. If the shape and structure of the sperm are abnormal with impaired movement, conception will not be able to occur.
Low Sperm Count is when you produce 10 million or fewer sperm per millimeter of semen. The average healthy male will produce greater than or equal to 20 million sperm per millimeter. The causes of low sperm count include genetics, childhood disorders and lifestyle factors.
Varicoceles are varicose veins in the scrotum that prevents cooling of the testicle, which can lead to lower sperm count and motility.
There are certain lifestyle factors that can interfere with the male's ability to conceive such as emotional stress, obesity, malnutrition, alcohol/drugs, and tobacco use.
The process of conception is surprisingly inefficient. The slightest wrench in your body can through the entire process out of whack. Your body is a highly tuned machine of complex, interacting hormones. If just one stops functioning correctly, you are on your way to see a reproductive endocrinologist.
