Infertility
Infertility is a term used to describe a couple who are not able to conceive despite having frequent unprotected sex for at least a year.
Primary Infertility: If a couple cannot conceive at all.
Secondary Infertility: When a couple have had one or more babies, miscarriages or still births.
Being fertile needs:
- Unblocked fallopian tubes
- A healthy normal uterus
- A healthy fertilized egg able to implant in the uterus
- An adequate hormonal environment for the embryo to develop till full term
Causes of Infertility
a) Causes of Infertility in Males
- Low thyroid function
- Low or absent sperm production
- Abnormal sperm function
- Varicocele (dilatation of the veins associated with the spermatic cord in the testes)
- Birth defects
b) Causes of Infertility in Females
- Ovulation problems caused by diseases, birth defects, or abnormal hormonal production
- Hormonal imbalances: Female reproductive hormones are designed to initiate the maturation and release of the egg while preparing the uterus for implantation and maintaining the endometrial thickness throughout the pregnancy.
- Abnormality in female anatomy, including tubal ligation
- Inflammation causing adhesions and scar tissue such as in Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Endometriosis
Ten to twenty percent of infertility cases are unexplainable. Treating infertility depends on the underlying cause.
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