Female Infertility – Why Does It Happen?
Posted on March 3, 2010
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Women Causing Infertility – The Major Causes of Female Infertility
Female ovulation is an essential ingredient of success at conception. To make it simple, a female who does not produce an egg can have no baby. The primary indicators of a potential problem with ovulation are either totally absent or intermittent monthly menstrual periods.
Medical Conditions
PCOS and POI are 2 of the more common issues regarding ovulation. Polycystic ovarian syndrome, a hormonal problem, can affect the normal action of the ovulation process. It is reportedly the highest cause of infertility in women.
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 commonly thought to be early menopause, which is an entirely different illness.
Other 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
Factors That Increase Infertility Risks
Besides problems with health, genetic and lifestyle factors can also influence infertility among women. Including:
- Cigarette smoking & alcohol consumption
- Poor diet
- Age creep
- Too much physical activity
- Stress
- Being underweight or overweight
- Infections that are sexually transmitted
- Health issues that affect the body’s hormone producing abilities
Infertility Women Causes - The Age Factor
Often working 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.
How Does Age Affect Fertility?
- Ovaries weaken with time & this affects their capacity to release eggs
- An older woman produces fewer eggs
- The eggs released as not as healthy as a those of a younger woman
- Older women may experience healthy issues that interfere with her fertility
- Incidence of miscarriage increases with age
Medication that Stimulates Fertility
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 as Clomid, its popular brand and is taken orally.
- Human menopausal gonadotropin: hMG is an injection used to stimulate the ovaries directly so that egg formation occurs. Pergonal and Repronex are just some of the popular brands.
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog: Gn-RH is a medication often prescribed for women who don’t ovulate regularly. It works on the pituitary gland to dictate when ovulation happens. It may purchased as a nasal spray or as an injectable.
- Follicle stimulating hormone: The FSH is also an injectable and acts on the ovaries to encourage ovulation. Some of the more popular brands are Follistim and Gonal-F.
- Metformin: Metformin is given to women who are either resistant to insulin or have 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 type of hormone that induces milk production in the mammary glands. Sufficient levels of prolactin may cause a stop in ovulation. Bromocriptine slows down prolactin release so ovulation can take place.
Multiple Birth Risk
While fertility drugs can and often do succeed at helping women conceive, they can also result in the formation of multiple fetuses. 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 also have a high risk for a medical condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which can be life threatening.
Due to the increased risks to health and the rising expense related to assisted reproductive therapies, alternative routes have become popular to combat infertility. Such remedies cover a wide range of natural treatments that are meant to assist body healing. Some of the more popular alternative treatments include nutritional therapy, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine.
Click here for more information on how to increase pregnancy chances or how conceive
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