Showing posts with label Infertility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Infertility. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Debilitating Signs And Symptoms Of Infertility In Women!

As women age, the most significant factor that effect is the ability to conceive.

Nowadays most of the women wait a longer time to have a baby. As the age increases, the ability of your ovaries to produce normal eggs will decrease, risk of chromosomal abnormalities increases and unsuccessful implantation thus leading to infertility in women.

The ability of a woman to conceive will start decreasing during her 30’s. After 38 there is a more rapid decrease in women’s fertility.

20’s is the most prominent period for a woman to get pregnant. Doctors usually recommend that after 35, women should have fertility evaluation once after attempting pregnancy for six months.

Though there are various causes of infertility in women, they differ from one woman to another.

Symptoms of infertility in women:

Some women may experience physical symptoms associated with infertility, but some may not have any physical symptoms.
  • Abnormal menstrual period

  • Absence of menstruation

  • Pelvic pain

  • Rapid weight gain

  • Chronic acne

  • Unable to get pregnant

  • Various emotional reactions by either or both members of the couple and the reactions are great among the childless couple.
Test to perform in infertile women:
  • Calculating the basal body temperature

  • Monitoring cervical mucus changes throughout the menstrual cycle to note the wet, stretchy, and slippery mucus associated with the ovulatory phase

  • Biopsying the uterine lining or endometrium

  • Measuring the amount of luteinizing hormone in urine with home-use kits to predict ovulation and assist with timing of intercourse.

  • Progestin challenge when the woman has sporadic or absent ovulation.

  • Checking serum hormone levels

  • Laparoscopy for direct visualization of your pelvic cavity

  • Determining existence of any cysts with pelvic exam
About 85-90% of the cases of infertility in women can be determined with the above test. Seeking right therapy in right timings can give 50 - 60% of chances to become pregnant. Usually, the treatments for infertility in women include: IVF, intrauterine insemination, and ovulation induction.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Some Foods May Contribute To Infertility!

There are various digestive disorders that can damage your small intestine when you eat wheat, rye and barley. Gluten is a protein found in these foods can cause these problems. Celiac disease is one among those digestive disorders. There are varied symptoms of this disease.

Celiac disease can lead to infertility or inability to become pregnant. Also this disease can cause various gynecological and obstetrical problems along with miscarriage and preterm births. Men who ignore the condition of celiac disease can also have fertility issues.

Celiac disease in women can lead to start periods later and stop menstruating earlier than average. Also, women suffer from secondary amenorrhea, a condition in which menses start but then stop. Collectively, these menstrual problems can lead to fewer ovulations thus resulting in fewer chances to become pregnant. Improper nutrition and hormonal factors can play a role in causing these problems.

Celiac disease in men can cause sperm abnormalities, such as: low sperm count, reduced sperm functioning and altered sperm shape. Untreated celiac disease can lead to low testosterone levels.

One study stated that sexual relations occurred less often when one partner had active celiac disease compared with couples in which the partner’s celiac disease was being treated.

Even women with celiac disease become pregnant; there are some problems that they may get during pregnancy such as smaller babies, miscarriage. These are the most common conditions that can be noticed in women with untreated celiac disease. So, women who experience repeated miscarriage or unable to conceive should get screening for celiac disease.


Saturday, September 19, 2009

How To Deal With Female Sexual Dysfunction

Four among every ten women may experience some sort of problems in their sexual health at some point in their life.

Are you experiencing recurrent or persistent problems with your sexual response or experiencing problems that make you strained or distressed the relationship with your partner?

Then this condition is medically termed as female sexual dysfunction.

Female sexual dysfunction is caused due to several factors and it causes various symptoms.

But, all these symptoms are almost all treatable. The only way to gain successful sexual satisfaction is by communicating your problems with your doctor and understanding the anatomy and body’s reactions to sexual activity.

Various symptoms of female sexual dysfunction include:

This condition can strike your life irrespective of the age. When there is hormonal fluctuations in your body, sexual concerns may take place. Sexual problems may also occur when you experience any major illnesses like cancer.

Here are the common problems that indicate you the problem of female sexual dysfunction:
  • Low or not having any desire to have sex

  • Experiencing pain during the sexual intercourse

  • Not experiencing an orgasm

  • Not maintain arousal during the sexual activity

  • Not becoming aroused even you desired to have sex
Most common causes of female sexual dysfunction include:

Various causes that lead to female sexual dysfunction are physical, hormonal, psychological and social problems.

Physical conditions: Arthritis, pelvic surgery, bowel problems, urinary infections, headaches, fatigue, and neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis can lead to sexual dysfunction. Medications like antidepressants, chemotherapy drugs and blood pressure medications can lower your sexual desire.

Hormonal changes: Low levels of estrogen during menopause stage can cause genital changes and lower sexual desire. Hormonal changes make the vaginal lining thin and less elastic, especially when you are sexually inactive. So, in order to relax, you need more vaginal stimulation to lubricate and relax before the intercourse. All these factors can lead to painful intercourse.

Psychological changes: Lifestyle factors such as depression and anxiety can cause sexual dysfunction. Problems about sex or any other issues in your relationship can decrease the sexual responsiveness.

Treatments for female sexual dysfunction can give best results when used in combination. There are some medical treatments such as, vaginal estrogen gel, changing from one antidepressant medication to another. Sometimes, behavioral therapies and stress management techniques can address the problems associated with female sexual dysfunction.

Adopting healthy lifestyle habits, strengthening your pelvic muscles through regular activity, and seeking counseling from a therapist can benefit you a lot.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Factors That Cause Female Infertility!

Female infertility is of various types, among those most of them can be treated easily.

Here are the most common causes of female infertility:

1. Hormonal causes

Most of the women experience problems with ovulation.

Hormonal changes that cause oocyte to release from your ovary and thickening of your endometrium in preparation for the fertilized egg do not occur.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), clomid, ovarian drilling, and ovarian stimulation are all the ovulation problems that make you infertile.

Usually, ovulation predictor kits, basal body temperature charts and blood tests can help to detect the hormone levels that cause infertility.

2. Damage to your fallopian tubes

Any damage to your fallopian tubes prevents the contact between sperm and oocyte. Endometriosis, repetitive pelvic infections and undergoing pelvic surgery for number of times can lead to scar formation and finally damage to the fallopian tubes.

3. Cervical causes

There are only few people who have cervical problems. Cervical problem which mainly lead to infertility is unable to pass the sperm from cervical canal. This condition occurs due to prior surgical procedures or abnormal mucus production. These conditions can be treated with intrauterine insemination.

4. Unexplained infertility

In about 20 percent of cases, the cause of infertility can not be determined with the currently available procedures.

5. Age

Increased age is also a factor that affects your fertility. By birth, women have a finite number of fertile eggs. As your age increases, quality and the number of eggs diminishes. Every year, the chances of giving birth to a baby decreases by 3-5%.

Determining the causes of female infertility:

Your doctor recommends the following tests to determine infertility, such as
  • Blood test to check your hormone levels

  • Endometrial biopsy in order to test your endometrial lining
Laparoscopy and hysterosalpingography are used to determine tubal obstruction and pelvic adhesions.

Laparoscopy is a procedure in which, a slender tube fitted with a fiberoptic camera is inserted into your abdomen by making a small adhesion near your belly button. This procedure helps your doctor to observe outside of the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes in order to find any abnormal growths.

Hysterosalpingography (HSG) includes various X-rays of reproductive organs. Through your cervix, a dye is introduced, which help to view any blockages of fallopian tubes.

So, regular checkups and proper diagnosis are very important to treat the condition in its early stages only.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

What Factors Cause Male Infertility?

An estimated of 10-15% of the couple are classified as infertile. In about half the cases male infertility is a factor.

Most common causes of male infertility are impaired sperm production, impaired sperm delivery and testosterone deficiency.

Infertility is the result of some problems that are present at the time of birth or due to the problems that develop in lateral life. Some of the most common causes of male infertility include:
  • Injuries, for example, testicular trauma

  • Infections such as orchitis, prostatitis, epididymitis

  • Diseases such as STDs, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis

  • Chemotherapy

  • Incorrectly moved or abnormally shaped sperm

  • Seminal fluid abnormalities

  • Ductal system problems

  • Cryptorchidism

  • Medications that are used to treat arthritis and high blood pressure

  • Hormonal abnormalities due to a disorder in the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis

  • Metallic disorders such as hemocromatosis

  • Testicular cancer

  • Systemic diseases such as infection, high fever, kidney disease

  • Varicocele

  • Cigarette smoking

  • Alcohol

  • Defects in your reproductive system such as anorchism, cryptorchidism
Bladder surgery that is used to treat congenital defect in the bladder or urethra or a disorder that affects your nervous system can lead to retrograde ejaculation. This condition occurs from the injury of the nerves and muscles of the bladder neck that prevent it from closing at the time of ejaculation. Dry or diminished ejaculation and cloudy urine after ejaculation are the signs of this condition.

Testosterone deficiency:

Testosterone deficiency also called as hypogonadism, which exists from birth or may build up later. Causes of this condition are classified according to their location along the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
  • First is disturbance in your testicles

  • Second is disturbance in your pituitary glands

  • Last is disturbance in the hypothalamus
Klinefelter syndrome is the most common congenital disorder. An extra X chromosome causes this condition leading to infertility, unwanted facial and body hair and smaller than normal testes.

Testosterone deficiency is also due to congenital hormone diseases such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency and leutenizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) deficiency.

Acquired causes of hypogonadism include:
  • Glandular malformation

  • Radiation

  • Chemotherapy

  • Infections such as mumps, meningitis, syphilis

  • Damage to the pituitary gland, testes, or hypothalamus

  • Isolated LH deficiency

  • Head trauma that affect your hypothalamus

  • Tumor of your pituitary gland, testicles or hypothalamus

  • Testicular trauma

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Reproductive Problems - Major Infertility Cause

Not becoming pregnant even after trying to conceive for a long time? Here are some basic causes of male and female infertility. Changes in female or male reproductive system can result in infertility. Most common facts about infertility include:
  • Approximately 35 percentage of infertility cases arise due to abnormalities in female reproductive system.

  • Approximately 35 percentage of infertility cases arise from man’s reproductive system.

  • Approximately 20 percentage of cases are due to problems in both man and woman.

  • Approximately 10 percentage of cases are due to unknown causes.

  • Age is also a risk factor for infertility.
Some other lifestyle habits that can cause infertility include:
  • Great use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco

  • Fad diets or anorexia

  • Stress in a woman can cause irregular periods and also it reduces the man’s sperm count.
Some other factors that can cause infertility include:
  • Age

  • Athletic training

  • Excess alcohol consumption

  • Being overweight or underweight

  • Sexually transmitted diseases

  • Poor diet

  • Health problems that can cause hormonal disturbances

  • Smoking

  • General factors like diabetes, thyroid disorders and adrenalin diseases

  • Hypothalamic-pituitary factors such as Hypopituitarism, Hyperprolactinemia and Kallmann syndrome

  • Environmental conditions i.e. toxins like volatile organic solvents, glues, physical agents, pesticides, and chemical dusts

  • Genetic factors in both the sexes can cause recurrent spontaneous abortions or complete infertility
The other case of infertility is combined infertility. Both the sexes may be infertile or subfertile. Infertility arises from the combination of these two conditions.

In some other cases, the cause of infertility can be suspected as genetic or immunological. Independently the man and woman can be fertile but as a couple they can not conceive without any external assistance.

In women, the cause of infertility is mainly due to ovulation difficulties. Ovulation problems are due to irregular or non-existent menstrual cycle. Some other cause can be: uterine fibroids, birth defects within the uterus, and blocked or damaged fallopian tubes.

In men, infertility is determined based on the condition of sperm count. Men who produce no sperm suffer from a condition called as azoospermia. Men with low sperm count suffer from oligospermia. Along with these conditions malformed sperm, inactive sperm and blocked reproductive tracts can lead to male infertility. Scientists have reported that a virus called Adeno-associated virus can cause male infertility.

Infertility treatments mainly based on your:
  • Tests result

  • Age of both the partners

  • Overall health of the couple

  • How long the couple has been trying to conceive

  • Preferences of the cpuple