Do you have sterility, the inability to create offspring? Infertility is a disorder that affects more and more couples these days. Due to the global size of the problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) currently classifies infertility as a civilization disease. Unlike infertility, it is a reversible condition. The occurrence of infertility can be defined as when a woman does not become pregnant for 12 months of regular intercourse (at least 2–4 times a week) without protection. The problem of infertility affects both partners – the causes of infertility can lie on the side of both men and women, more or less in equal proportions.
The most common female causes of infertility are obstruction of the fallopian tubes and hormonal disorders that lead to abnormalities in the ovulation process. Obstruction of the fallopian tubes may be the result of a history of pelvic inflammation or surgery. The range of possibilities leading to ovulation disorders is huge. Hormonal imbalance resulting in anovulation can be caused by eating disorders, excessive stress, excessive physical activity, damage and dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary area, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian failure (POI), as well as hyperprolactinemia. Fertility problems sometimes result from untreatedendometriosisor an abnormal structure of the reproductive organ.
Male infertility is largely due to poor sperm quality. This condition can be caused by overheating the testicles, wearing too tight underwear, leading an unhealthy lifestyle, and the use of stimulants. Another cause is mechanical damage to the testicles and complications of inflammatory diseases in the male genital area.
In many cases, the cause of infertility cannot be established due to limited access to some studies. These include genetic abnormalities or dysfunction of the oocytes and / or sperm cells, embryo abnormalities, immune disorders, or unexplained problems with the implantation mechanisms of a fertilized egg in the uterine cavity.
In this article, Niketrainers.com.co will tell you:
How common is infertility?
Infertility in the population is a big problem, it is estimated that it affects 10-16% of couples, which translates into over a million couples in Poland. It seems that the number of men and women who will be affected by the problem of not being able to get pregnant will gradually increase in the following years, among others due to the increasingly late decisions about parentage.
What to do in the event of infertility?
If it is impossible to get pregnant despite the attempts, the couple should see a doctor in order to start the diagnosis. Diagnostics should be undertaken in women under 35 after one year of regular sexual intercourse, in women over 35 after 6 months, and in women over 40 – as soon as possible. Both partners should be examined in parallel. Infertility clinics deal with comprehensive diagnostics, some tests can be performed by your family doctor or your gynecologist. In addition, it is worth going to a psychological consultation or psychotherapy, because mental problems can effectively make it difficult to get pregnant. Already at the very beginning of the diagnostic and therapeutic path, it is necessary to change the lifestyle – limiting or giving up alcohol consumption, quitting smoking,
How does the doctor make a diagnosis of infertility?
The diagnosis of infertility should be comprehensive, and both partners should undergo the tests. It is worth starting the search with the evaluation of the sperm. Examination of the ejaculate is aimed at determining its volume, regularity in the number of sperm, their mobility, and the viability of the structure, it should be performed after 2–7 days of sexual abstinence. The abnormal test result should be repeated after about a month. It is important that the partner is healthy while the partner submits the ejaculate sample to the laboratory. At the same time, the diagnosis of infertility in the partner should begin. In women who regularly menstruate (every 21–35 days, with a similar interval) and women who have confirmed the absence of ovulation disorders, the most important test is hysterosalipingography (HSG) – an image assessment of the fallopian tubes after contrast administration, commonly known as an examination of the patency of the fallopian tubes.
Patients with irregular menstruation should, first of all, undergo hormonal tests: levelsof follicle stimulating hormones(FSH) and luteinising hormones (LH),estradiol, testosterone, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). In such women, in search of the causes of abnormalities, it seems helpful to perform ultrasound examinations (USG) monitoring the presence of ovulation, planned by the doctor at several days intervals. After the day of presumed ovulation is determined, the progesterone concentration in the blood is also measured (about 7 days after the USG).
If endometriosis or uterine anatomical defects are suspected, diagnostic procedures such as laparoscopy or hysteroscopy are necessary. During laparoscopy, the gynecologist enters the abdominal cavity with the help of specially designed tools, using a small camera through 3 small holes in the body shell (abdomen), which allows you to see the reproductive organ and its abnormalities. Hysteroscopy is a procedure that uses the natural opening of the body – the vagina and the cervical canal.
What are the infertility treatments?
Infertility treatment is selected on the basis of the cause that caused it and always begins with the cheapest and least invasive methods. In most cases, the basic treatment of monitoring ovulation and determining the appropriate days for intercourse, giving a high chance of conception, hormonal treatment of ovulation disorders or the use of minor surgical procedures to correct anatomical abnormalities preventing pregnancy, bring the desired results.
In about 20% of cases that do not respond to treatment, assisted reproductive techniques –in vitro(IVF) or insemination are required.
Is it possible to cure infertility completely?
Therapeutic success in the form of successful completion of efforts does not mean that subsequent attempts for a child will not bring any problems, so it is worth continuing the developed healthy lifestyle habits and undergoing regular checks.
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