Feb 28 2010
Infertility Women Causes - Understanding Female Infertility
Infertility Women Causes - Reasons for Female Infertility
A woman’s ability to ovulate is a key component of successful conception. Put simply, a woman who cannot produce an egg will have no chance of having a baby. Key signs of ovulation problems include either irregular or absent menstrual periods.
Real Life Situations
Two common situations involving a woman’s ovulation are PCOS and POI. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is defined as a hormonal problem that interferes with the normal ovulation mechanism. It is the highest recorded cause of female infertility.
On another note, primary ovarian insuffiency happens when the ovaries stop functioning properly even before a woman reaches 35. POI is often thought to be early menopause, which is a condition that is entirely different.
Other Related Causes
There are other uterine problems that also contribute to infertility.
- Fibroids in the uterus, which are non-cancerous clumps on the uterine walls
- Blocked Fallopian tubes caused by ectopic pregnancy surgery, pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis
- Physical issues with the uterus
Factors That Increase Infertility Risks
Beyond problems with health, genetics and lifestyle habits can also lead to infertility among women. Inclusive of:
- Tobacco and alcohol use
- Insufficient nutrient intake due to poor diet
- Age
- Too much physical activity
- Stress at home or workplace
- Overweight or underweight conditions
- Infections that are sexually transmitted
- Health issues that affect the body’s hormone producing abilities
Infertility Women Causes - The Age Factor
Often American women these days do not have children until their 30s and 40s…and one-third of the total number of fertility issues involve women who are more than 35 years old.
Why is Age a Key Factor to Fertility?
- Ovaries deteriorate over time, and this affects their egg-releasing capability
- An older woman produces fewer eggs
- The eggs released as not as healthy as a those of a younger woman
- Health problems that may interfere with fertility creep up as the woman gets older
- The incidence of miscarriage in older women is higher
Medication that Stimulates Fertility
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 the brand Clomid, which is ingested orally.
- Human menopausal gonadotropin: hMG is an injection used to stimulate the ovaries directly so that egg formation occurs. Popular brands include Repronex and Pergonal.
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog: Gn-RH is a medication often prescribed for women who don’t ovulate regularly. It acts on the pituitary gland to influence the timing of ovulation. 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. Some of the more popular brands are Follistim and Gonal-F.
- Metformin: Metformin is recommended for women with either PCOS or insulin resistance. This drug, often taken simultaneously with clomiphene or FSH, is designed to regulate male hormones levels in women and cause them to ovulate.
- Bromocriptine: Prolactin is a hormone that causes production of milk in the mammary glands. Sufficient levels of prolactin may cause a stop in ovulation. Bromocriptine slows down prolactin release so ovulation can take place.
Multiple Birth Risk
While fertility drugs can and often do succeed at helping women conceive, they can also result in the formation of multiple fetuses. Women who carry more than one fetus are prone to more pregnancy problems than those who carry just one. More than one fetus in the womb raises the risk for the to born at lot earlier than their due…and an infant who’s been born premature has the greater chance of developing problems with health as he or she grows up.
Fertility drugs can also cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a medical condition which has life threatening implications.
Due to the increased risks to health and the rising expense related to assisted reproductive therapies, alternative routes have become popular to combat infertility. These remedies cover a range from natural treatments which are intended to assist the body in repairing itself. Some of the more widely used types of alternative treatments include nutrition-based therapies, Chinese medicine, and acupuncture.
Click here for more information on how to increase your chances of pregnancy or how to conceive a baby
