What is Infertility?
Infertility is defined as the failure to conceive after a year or more of regular sexual activity during the time of ovulation. It may also refer to the inability to carry a pregnancy to term. Ovulation, fertilization, and the journey of the fertilized ovum through the fallopian tube and finally into the uterus are highly intricate processes. Many events must work together perfectly for pregnancy to occur.
Males account for 40% of infertile couples.
In 40 percent of infertile couples, problems affecting the male partner are either partially or wholly the cause of Infertility. For men, Infertility is most often the result of a low sperm count or an anatomical abnormality.
A variety of factors can result in a low sperm count, including:
- Alcohol consumption
- Endocrine disorders
- Exposure to toxins, radiation, or excessive heat
- Recent acute illness or prolonged fever
- Testicular injury
- Mumps-induced wasting of the testicles
Varicoceles, abnormal enlargements of the veins that drain the testicles, can cause Infertility in men because the veins of the testes no longer moderate the temperature of the testicles correctly, and this can negatively affect sperm.
Infertility in women
For women, the most common causes of Infertility include:
- Ovulatory failure or defect
- Blocked fallopian tubes
- Endometriosis,
- Uterine fibroids.
Some women develop antibodies to their partners’ sperm, in effect becoming allergic to them. Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, causes many cases of Infertility. Psychological issues, such as stress or fear of parenthood, may contribute to infertility as well, although stress is usually the result of Infertility, not the cause of it.
Causes of Infertility – summary
The following are the most common reasons couples are unable to conceive:
- The woman has endometriosis.
- The man has abnormal sperm, a low sperm count, or erectile dysfunction.
- The woman’s fallopian tubes are blocked.
- Ovulation takes place rarely or irregularly.
- The couple is unable to have complete sexual intercourse.
- The cervical mucous attacks and kills the sperm.
- The woman does not manufacture enough progesterone to carry a baby to term.
- The woman is over thirty-four (fertility declines rapidly after that age).
Often, more than one cause of Infertility is found, and in approximately 20 percent of cases, nothing that would seem to inhibit conception can be found.