Infertility
Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of trying. The definition also includes inability to conceive after six months of trying in women aged 35 or older. Most couples with fertility and normal reproductive capacity have a pregnancy within a year of trying. In the event that pregnancy does not occur within a year of trying, the chance of pregnancy is reduced each month more, and the rate is also faster as women age.
Infertility affects about 10 to 15 percent of couples, so infertility is one of the most common health problems among people aged 20 to 45 years.
Causes of infertility in women
The process of pregnancy until the moment of birth is a very complex process, as it is possible that any problem during this long process complex lead to infertility, and the possible causes of infertility in women:
- Inability to ovulate: Ovulation is one of the most common causes of infertility among women. Forty percent of women with fertility and infertility problems have multiple causes, including primary ovarian insufficiency and polycystic ovary syndrome Poly-cystic ovary syndrome, and age. This problem is the lack of egg stock as a natural part of the process of aging, and the presence of endocrine problems such as problems of the thyroid or pituitary, which may affect the hormones that are secreted in the body, where May cause an increase in the proportion of hormones Or reduce their percentage.
- PMS problems: A problem at any stage of the menstrual cycle leads to infertility or difficulty in pregnancy. The menstrual cycle is the process that prepares the female body for pregnancy.
- There is a problem in the structure of the reproductive system: This is usually caused by abnormal tissue in the uterus or fallopian tube, or because of the fallopian tube blockage, and leads to the egg’s inability to move from the ovary to the uterus, thus the sperm can not reach the egg to fertilize, Examples of problems in the structure of the reproductive system leading to infertility include endometriosis, where endometrial tissue is present elsewhere, such as in the fallopian tube. The presence of fibroids in the uterus may also lead to infertility, repeated miscarriage, or premature birth, although they often do not cause fertility problems.
- The presence of polyps in the uterus means that there is non-cancerous growth on the inner surface of the uterus that may lead to the inability to keep the pregnancy after it occurs. Therefore, the removal of these drugs through surgery may increase the chance of pregnancy, Scarring in the uterus as a result of some injuries and others may increase the chance of miscarriage, and may affect the process of implantation of the egg in the uterus, it is worth noting that the abnormal shape of the uterus may be one of the reasons that may affect the implantation of the egg and completion of pregnancy.
- Inflammation: Infection may cause some types of infections, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, to pelvic inflammatory disease, causing scarring that causes the fallopian tube to occlude. Inflammation can cause inflammation. Chronic cervical cancer and surgical treatment of cervical lesions associated with human papillomavirus reduce the amount of mucus present in the cervix, making pregnancy difficult.
- The inability of the egg to ripen properly: There are several factors that may lead to the maturation of the egg properly, such as obesity and obesity, and the lack of some proteins necessary for the maturation of the egg; If an egg is immature, it may not be released from the ovary at the right time, and may be infertile.
- Autoimmune disorders: The effect of fertility disorders on fertility has not yet been fully explained, but it is believed to cause inflammation of the uterus and placenta, or the drugs used to treat them may affect fertility. Examples of these disorders include lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and others.
Causes of infertility in men
The fertility of a man depends on the quantity and quality of the sperm he produces, and the man is the reason for the inability to get pregnant in one in five couples suffering from infertility. Among the possible causes of the problem of infertility in men is as follows:
- There is a problem in sperm production: The two-thirds of men with infertility have problems with sperm from testicular production, and the causes leading to the problem of outstanding testicular (in English: Undescended testes), infections, and testicular torsion in the scrotum, and varicose testicles (in English: Varicocele), and some drugs and chemicals, Radiation damage, and others.
- Problems with sperm movement: This problem is found in about one man in five men with infertility, including blockage of the movement of sperm which may be caused by problems with the prostate, some infections, and the absence of the semen or the so-called vas deferens (or eradicated) Vasectomy.
- Sexual problems: Such as Erectile dysfunction, inability to ejaculate, repetitive and rapid ejaculation, spinal cord injuries, damage and nerve problems, use of certain medications, and others.
- Hormonal problems: Such as a pituitary tumor, congenital luteinizing hormone deficiency to Follicle-Stimulating Hormone, misuse of anabolic steroids, and others.
Infertility diagnosis
When a woman
The infertility examination in women includes clinical examination, regular women’s examinations, and some specialized fertility tests such as:
- Ovulation screening: A test to measure the level of hormones in the blood to confirm the occurrence of ovulation or not.
- Hysterosalpingography: This test is intended to evaluate the status of the uterus and the fallopian tubes, and to determine whether there are problems with them.
- Ovarian reserve testing: This is intended to determine the quantity and quality of ovarian and ovulation eggs.
- Other hormones, such as Pituitary Gland Hormones, ovulation hormones, and others.
- Other tests may be used in some cases such as hysteroscopy, genetic testing, and others.
When the man
Diagnosis of male infertility includes regular clinical examination including genital examination. Some specialized fertility tests may be performed, such as:
- SEMEN ANALYSIS: One or more sperm samples are required for examination, and sperm may also be examined in the urine.
- Hormone testing: This test is intended to measure the level of testosterone (Testosterone) and other male hormones.
- Biopsy: It is used to diagnose certain infertility cases and may sometimes be used in IVF techniques such as in vitro fertilization.
- Imaging: such as brain magnetic resonance imaging, bone density examination, rectal imaging, ultrasound scrotum, and others.
- DNA screening may be done for sperm or gene screening in some cases.