Women Causing Infertility – Reasons for Female Infertility

A woman’s ovulation is a essential component of conception. 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 problematic conditions involving a woman ovulating are PCOS & POI. Polycystic ovarian syndrome, a hormonal problem, can affect the normal action of the ovulation process. This is the highest recorded reason for female infertility.

Primary ovarian insufficiency, on the other hand, occurs when the woman’s ovaries fail to functioning like they should before she becomes 35 years old. POI is often mistaken to be early menopause, which is a different condition.

Other Associated Causes

There are other uterine problems that also contribute to infertility.

- Fibroids in the uterus, which are non-cancerous clumps on the uterine walls

- Clogged Fallopian tubes caused by ectopic pregnancy surgery, pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis

- Physical issues with the uterus

Factors That Increase Infertility Risks

Aside from problems with one’s health, genes and lifestyle factors can also contribute to female infertility. These would include:

- Alcohol and smoking

- Poor diet

- Getting older

- Too much physical activity

- Excessive stress

- Being underweight or overweight

- Sexually related diseases

- Health issues that affect the body’s hormone producing abilities

Infertility Women Causes - The Age Factor

Many 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.

How Does Age Affect Fertility?

- Ovaries weaken over time, and this affects their egg-releasing capacity

- Older ovaries make fewer eggs

- The eggs of an older woman are less healthy

- Health problems that may interfere with fertility creep up as the woman gets older

- There is a higher incidence of miscarriage in older women

Stimulating Fertility with Drugs

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 by its popular brand Clomid, an oral drug.

- 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 works on the pituitary gland to dictate when ovulation happens. It is available as an injectable or nasal spray form.

- Follicle stimulating hormone: The FSH is also an injectable and acts on the ovaries to encourage ovulation. Well-known drug brands are Gonal-F and Follistim.

- Metformin: Metformin is recommended for females who are either highly resistant to insulin or are diagnosed with PCOS. This drug, usually taken with FSH or clomiphene, is designed to balance out the male hormone levels in the female body and help women ovulate.

- Bromocriptine: Prolactin is a hormone that causes production of milk in the mammary glands. Prolactin in sufficient levels causes ovulation to stop. Bromocriptine directly acts on and slows down the release of prolactin so ovulation can happen.

Multiple Birth Risk

While majority of fertility medications truly succeed at helping a woman conceive, they also more likely lead to the development 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 baby born prematurely has a higher risk of health issues going forward.

Fertility drugs can also cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a medical condition which has life threatening implications.

Because of these health risks & the high cost of assisted reproductive technology, alternative methods have become popular for overcoming infertility without adverse side effects. Such remedies cover a wide range of natural treatments that are meant to assist body healing. Some of the common alternative therapies include Chinese medicine, acupuncture and nutrition-based treatments.

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