Baby Articles Baby Monitors on 26 Feb 2010 08:49 pm
Infertility in Women – Exploring The Reasons
Women Causing Infertility – The Main Causes Of Fertility Problems In Women
The female’s ovulation capability is a vital component of conception success. In short, a woman who has no means of producing an egg will have zero chance of conceiving. The main indicators of a possible ovulation problem are either absent or irregular monthly menstruation.
Medical Situations
Two of the more common medical conditions involving ovulation are PCOS and POI. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is defined as a hormonal problem that interferes with the normal ovulation mechanism. 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 often mistaken to be early menopause, which is a different condition.
Related Causes
There are other uterine problems that also contribute to infertility.
- Fibroids in the uterus, which are non-cancerous clumps on the uterine walls
- Blocked 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. Inclusive of:
- Cigarette smoking & alcohol consumption
- Poor diet
- Age
- Too much physical activity
- Stress at the workplace or home
- Being underweight or overweight
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Health issues that affect the body’s hormone producing abilities
Infertility Women Causes - The Age Factor
Often working women these days 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 Does Age Matter To Fertility?
- Ovaries weaken with time & this affects their capacity to release eggs
- Older ovaries make fewer eggs
- The eggs released as not as healthy as a those of a younger woman
- Health problems that may interfere with fertility creep up as the woman gets older
- There is a higher incidence of miscarriage in older women
Drugs To Stimulate 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. Popular names include Pergonal and Repronex.
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog: Gn-RH is a medication often prescribed for women who don’t ovulate regularly. It acts on the pituitary gland to influence the timing of ovulation. It can be purchased either as a nasal spray or in injection form.
- Follicle stimulating hormone: The FSH is also an injectable and acts on the ovaries to encourage ovulation. Common brands are Follistim and Gonal-F.
- 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 hormone that causes production of milk in the mammary glands. Prolactin has the power to stop ovulation, when in adequate levels. 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 carrying multiple fetuses experience more problems during pregnancy than their single fetus counterparts. More than one fetus in the womb increases the risk for premature birth…and a prematurely born baby is more at risk of having health problems as he or she grows older.
Certain fertility drugs may lead to a syndrome called ovarian hyperstimulation, a illness that may be fatal.
Due to the increased risks to health and the rising expense related to assisted reproductive therapies, alternative routes have become popular to combat infertility. These remedies cover a vast range from natural healing therapies which are meant to help the body repair itself. Popular natural treatments include acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and nutritional therapy.
Click here for more information on how to increase pregnancy chances or how to conceive a baby
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