polycystic overy If you鈥檙e looking for an informative article on infertility, then I鈥檇 suggest this one: http://www.womans-health.net/reason-for-... There鈥檚 some good information discussing the different causes of infertility in females and males. Hope this helps! Infertility is a condition or a disease of the reproductive system often diagnosed after a couple fail to achieve pregnancy or if the woman has been unable to carry a pregnancy that results in a live birth.
Primary Infertility is the term used to describe a couple that has never been able to conceive a pregnancy, after a minimum of one year of attempting to do so through unprotected intercourse.
Secondary Infertility is the term used to describe couples who have previously been pregnant at least once, but have not been able to achieve another pregnancy.
What are the causes of Infertility?
Causes of infertility include a wide range of physical, as well as emotional factors. Infertility can be due to a "male" factor such as decreased sperm count or no sperm, retrograde ejaculation, impotence, hormone deficiency, environmental pollutants, scarring from sexually-transmitted disease.
A "female" factor such as scarring from sexually-transmitted disease, ovulation dysfunction, poor nutrition, hormone imbalance, cysts or cancer of the ovaries or uterus, pelvic infection or tumor, or transport system abnormality from the cervix through the Fallopian tubes can also lead to infertility.
It is important that pregnancy be attempted after an extended period (at least one year);
Sperm is viable for about 48 hours. It is crucial for sperm to be present during the woman's most fertile time.
Risks for infertility
Mumps orchitis in men
Eating disorders in women
Abnormal menstrual cycles
What are the symptoms of Infertility?
Inability to become pregnant.
A range of emotional and social problems and tensions between the couple regarding childlessness.
How can we diagnose Infertility?
To assess infertility, some or all the tests mentioned below may be required.
Semen analysis to evaluate volume, viscosity of semen, sperm. count, motility, swimming speed and shape of sperm.
Monitoring cervical mucus changes throughout the menstrual cycle.
Measuring serum progesterone (blood test).
Endometrial biopsy.
Testicular biopsy.
Serum hormonal levels (blood tests) for either or both partners.
Laparoscopy to allow direct visualization.
Pelvic examination of women to check if there are cysts or damage to the endometrium.
How can Infertility be treated?
Treatment depends on the cause of infertility for couple. It may range from simple education and counseling, to the use of medicines that treat infections or promote ovulation, to highly sophisticated medical procedures such as in-vitro fertilization.
Although infertility itself does not cause physical illness, the psychological impact of infertility upon individuals or couples affected by it may be severe. Marital problems, including divorce, individual depression and anxiety are common. These problems can be treated with psychiatric counseling.
Preventive Measures
Practice safe sex.
Stop drinking alcohol regularly or in excess.
Avoid stress and tension as these factors too play an important role.
Avoid over exercise.
Do not use herbal medicines without knowing its use.
Practice safe sex if any indulgence takes place outside a relationship. Google it. Hi there, I really didn't know what you were asking but hope this helps...good luck...
What is infertility?
Infertility is the inability to achieve and/or maintain pregnancy.
Infertility is a disease or condition of the reproductive system often diagnosed after a couple has had one year of unprotected, well-timed intercourse, or if the woman has been unable to carry a pregnancy to term.
It is typically diagnosed after a couple has had 6 to 12 months of unprotected, well-timed (around the time of ovulation) intercourse without a pregnancy occurring or when a woman has been unable to carry a pregnancy that results in a live birth.
Pregnancy is the result of a chain of events. A woman must release an egg from one of her ovaries (ovulation).
The egg must travel through a fallopian tube toward her uterus (womb).
A man's sperm must join with (fertilize) the egg along the way.
The fertilized egg must then become attached to the inside of the uterus.
While this may seem simple, in fact many things can happen to prevent pregnancy from occurring.
Primary infertility is the term used to describe a couple that has never been able to conceive a pregnancy, after a minimum of 1 year of attempting to do so through unprotected intercourse.
Secondary infertility is the term used to describe couples who have previously been pregnant at least once, but have not been able to achieve another pregnancy.
Causes of infertility include a wide range of physical as well as emotional factors.
Approximately 30% to 40% of all infertility is due to a "male" factor, such as retrograde ejaculation, impotence, hormone deficiency, environmental pollutants, scarring from sexually transmitted disease, or decreased sperm count.
Some factors affecting sperm count are heavy marijuana use or prescription drugs, such as cimetidine, spironolactone, and nitrofurantoin.
A "female" factor (for example, scarring from sexually transmitted disease or endometriosis, ovulation dysfunction, poor nutrition, hormone imbalance, ovarian cysts, pelvic infection, tumor, or transport system abnormality from the cervix through the fallopian tubes) is responsible for 40% to 50% of infertility in couples.
The remaining 10% to 30% may be caused by contributing factors in both partners, or no cause can be adequately identified.
Infertility can be caused by any interruption in the usual process of fertilization, pregnancy, and birth, which includes ejaculation of normal amounts of healthy sperm, passage of the sperm through the cervix and into the fallopian tube of the female, passage of an ovum (egg) down the fallopian tube from an ovary, fertilization in the fallopian tube, implantation of the fertilized egg in a receptive uterus, and the ability to carry the fetus to term.
In women, the most common problems are failure to ovulate and blockage of the fallopian tubes. In men, low sperm count is the most common problem.
Underlying problems include disease, such as diabetes or mumps in adult men, hormonal imbalances, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease (often caused by sexually transmitted diseases, e.g., chlamydia), the abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and exposure to workplace hazards or environmental toxins.
Uterine irritation or infection that sometimes accompanies IUD use can also reduce fertility. Occasionally there is a chemical or immunological incompatibility between male and female.
Psychological factors are difficult to evaluate because of the stressful nature of infertility itself.
The number of couples seeking treatment for infertility has increased as more of them have postponed childbearing to a later age.
In women, fertility begins to decline in the mid-twenties, and continues to decline, more and more sharply, until menopause.
Male fertility declines gradually until age forty, then declines more quickly.
Evaluation includes examination of sperm, observation of basal body temperature or luteinizing hormone peaks in the female to determine whether ovulation is taking place, the ruling out of obstructions of the fallopian tubes or vas deferens, and blood tests that measure hormone levels.
Treatment is geared to the specific problem.
The first step may be treatment of underlying disease and, in men, avoidance of substances that might affect sperm count.
Fertility drugs, some of which increase the likelihood of multiple births, are often prescribed. If necessary, surgical correction of blocked tubes can be attempted.
Artificial insemination, in which the man's sperm or donor sperm from a sperm bank is inserted directly into the woman or a surrogate mother may be attempted.
Another method is in vitro fertilization, in which an egg is taken from the mother or an egg donor and fertilized outside the body by the father's sperm.
The resulting embryo is then inserted into the mother's uterus.
Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) mixes the egg and sperm outside the body, then, using laparoscopic surgery (see endoscope), introduces them into the fallopian tube.
For men with low sperm count or sperm of low quality, a procedure called intracytoplasmic sperm injection can help by inserting a single sperm directly into an egg.
If none of these measures succeeds, adoption is sometimes considered.
Some controversy has surrounded infertility treatment.
Many of the procedures are very expensive, and some question whether insurance plans should be responsible for the cost.
The multiple births that sometimes occur with fertility drugs can put great strain on a family's resources.
The legal rights of surrogate mothers and sperm donors are also of concern to all parties and have sometimes been resolved only after extended court cases.
The wisdom of stretching the definition of 鈥渢he childbearing years鈥?has come into question as well, as methods used for treating infertility have been used to allow postmenopausal women to have children.
Some are uncomfortable with the ability to choose the sex of the child or the screening of sperm or egg donors for characteristics such as height and intelligence.
More information on infertility
What is infertility? - Infertility is the inability to achieve and/or maintain pregnancy.
Infertility may due to a variety of causes, including abnormal hormonal levels, low sperm production and scarring of the fallopian tubes.
What causes infertility in men? -
The most common male infertility factors include azoospermia and oligospermia. In rare cases, infertility in men is caused by a genetic disease such as cystic fibrosis or a chromosomal abnormality.
What causes infertility in women? -
The most common female infertility factor is an ovulation disorder.
Other causes of female infertility include blocked fallopian tubes. Inability of the fertilized egg to implant in the uterus will lead to female infertility.
What causes infertility? -
Causes of infertility include a wide range of physical as well as emotional factors. Infertility can be caused by any interruption in the usual process of fertilization, pregnancy, and birth.
How is infertility diagnosed? -
In the male, sperm examination and sperm count is commonly done. In females, the basal body temperature is recorded each morning over several months to find any ovulatory disorders.
What female fertility tests are available? -
Blood tests that measure the levels of various hormones.
The doctor may want to measure the man's testosterone levels to see if they are high enough.
Basal body temperature (BBT) can be measured at home using a special thermometer to help predict the most fertile days.
What male tertility tests are available? -
A semen analysis is the most common testing procedure for determining if there is a male infertility factor.
Semen analysis is the mainstay of male testing.
What treatments are available to cure infertility? -
The ultimate goal of infertility treatment is a healthy pregnancy and the birth of one healthy infant.
There are various treatments for infertility, depending what the problem is.
What is assisted reproductive technology (ART)? -
Assisted reproductive technologies are medical treatments to overcome infertility.
The most common type of ART is in vitro fertilization.
What are the treatments for female infertility? -
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) combines the use of fertility drugs - hormonal therapy with artificial insemination using any of a group of techniques. Acupuncture may also be helpful.
What medicines treat female infertility? -
Clomiphene triggers the release of FSH and LH, boosting egg growth and helping the ovaries release a monthly egg.
Bromocriptine suppresses a hormone called prolactin. LH-RH drugs are used when the pituitary or hypothalamus gland is not producing hormones.
What are the treatments for male infertility? -
Low sperm counts can be treated by collecting and concentrating healthy sperm for insemination or assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment.
How to prevent infertility? - Most types of infertility cannot be prevented.
Smoking has been linked to low sperm counts.
Alcohol affects the fertility of both men and women.
Excessive exercise can lead to menstrual disorders in women and affect sperm production in men.
What is in vitro fertilization (IVF)? -
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the process used to conceive a child outside the body.
In vitro fertilization is a method of assisted reproduction that involves removing eggs from a woman's ovary, combining the egg with sperm in a dish and replacing the resulting embryos in the woman's uterus.
What is intrauterine insemination (IUI)? -
Intrauterine insemination is a procedure in which a fine catheter is inserted through the |
