Is Infertility A Women's Problem?

Is Infertility A Women’s Problem? Infertility is generally defined as the inability to get pregnant or conceive after a year or longer of unprotected sex. Some providers evaluate and treat women aged 35 years or older after 6 months of unprotected sex because fertility in women is known to decline steadily with age.

Women with infertility should consider consulting a reproductive endocrinologist – a doctor who specializes in infertility management – in an infertility hospital Coimbatore. They help women with recurrent pregnancy loss, which is having more than two spontaneous miscarriages. To get pregnant:

The female body should ideally release an egg from one of the ovaries.
The egg fertilizes with the man’s sperm along the way.
The fertilized egg goes to the uterus through the fallopian tube.
The embryo then attaches itself to the wall of the uterus.

Infertility is the result of an issue with one or several of these steps. A condition related to infertility that refers to women who have difficulty carrying a pregnancy to term or getting pregnant is called impaired fecundity.

Is infertility just a woman’s problem?

No, it is not always a woman’s problem as both women and men can contribute to infertility. Although often thought of as only a woman’s condition, many couples struggle with infertility and seek help to become pregnant. A male factor is identified along with a female factor in about 35% of the cases about infertility. A male factor is the only identifiable cause in about 8% of the couples with infertility. In the United States, almost 9% of men aged 25 to 44 years reported that they/their partner saw a doctor for testing, advice or treatment for infertility during their lifetime.

What causes infertility in men?

Infertility in men is typically evaluated by a semen analysis. The sperm concentration, sperm motility and morphology are assessed by a specialist during semen analysis. A semen analysis helps determine if and how the infertility is being caused by the male factors.

Infertility in men happens due to-

Disruptive ejaculatory or testicular function
Hormonal disorders
Genetic disorders such as myotonic dystrophy, Klinefelter’s syndrome and Y-chromosome microdeletion.

How do doctors treat infertility in both women and men?

Infertility can be treated with surgery, intrauterine insemination, medication or assisted reproductive technology. And other specific treatments may be recommended on the basis of:

Female age
Infertility duration
Infertility factors
Couple’s treatment preference such as a test tube baby hospital, IVF or medicinal treatments.

In-vitro Fertilization

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a complex set of procedures that are used to assist with pregnancy or to avoid genetic defects and to aid a child’s conception. Mature eggs are harvested (retrieved) from the ovaries during IVF and fertilized in a laboratory with sperm. The fertilized egg (embryo) is then transferred to the uterus. It takes about three weeks for one complete cycle of IVF. These steps are often divided into various sections, and the process may take longer.

The most popular method of assisted reproductive technology is IVF. Using your own eggs and the sperm of your partner, the operation can be performed. Or IVF can include a known or unknown donor’s eggs, sperm or embryos. A gestational carrier, a woman who has an embryo implanted in her uterus, may be used in certain situations. Your chances of using IVF to have a healthy baby depend on several variables, such as your age and the cause of infertility.

IVF can, however, be time-consuming, costly and intrusive. If more than one embryo is transferred to your uterus, IVF will lead to more than one fetus becoming pregnant (multiple pregnancy). Your doctor will help you understand how IVF works, the possible complications, and if this infertility treatment strategy is right for you.