The Reasons for Infertility in Women
What are the Reasons for Infertility in Women?
In most cases the reasons for infertility are a result of physical problems in the woman or man’s reproductive system.
Infertility Statistics:
- Around 35% of all infertility cases stem from problems with the male reproductive system.
- Around 35% of infertility problems arise from issues with the woman’s reproductive system.
- Around 20% of infertility issues occur as a combination of issues with the man and woman’s reproductive systems together.
- And, in 10% of infertility cases, no issue can be determined.
Some reasons for infertility can actually arise from a problematic lifestyle or sexual habits that can be remedied easily. For instance, a couple might be applying a specific lubricant that is killing off the man’s sperm or, they simply may not be having enough sex. Other easily treated reasons for infertility include:
- Excessive alcohol consumption, the smoking of cigarettes, or the use of other recreational drugs.
- Anorexia or crash dieting of the woman.
- Tight pants or underwear worn by the man (this will raise the temperature of the crotch area which will cause a lower sperm count).
- Stress. When a woman is stressed, it can result in irregular periods and when a man is stressed it may reduce his sperm count.
Most of the above mentioned reasons for infertility can be easiliy solved through medical treatment if necessary and small lifestyle changes such as wearing boxers, eliminating the lubricant, or applying stress reduction techniques such as physical or breathing exercises.
Another great technique for curing these reasons for infertiliy could be as simple as chaning the time of sex or the techniques used during sex. For example, sometimes a man’s semen fails to even reach the woman’s cervix. This can be remedied by placing a small pillow underneath the woman’s hips after you have had sex in order to prevent the semen from spilling out.
Medical Reasons for Infertility in Women:
There are many reasons that could cause a woman to be infertile, including, improper hormone levels, issues with her reproductive organs, and various illnesses. Additionally, complications after a surgery or from certain prescription drugs may hinder fertility.
The most common reasons for infertility in women result from:
PID or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: PID is probably one of the most common reasons for inferitily in females all over the world. PID is an infection in one of the reproductive organs, including the fallopian tubes, the ovaries, the uterus, or the cervix. PID could also even spread throughout the entire pelvic area or the appendix.
PID is caused by a bacteria that results in sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. Actually, research has shown that chlamydia is the cause for 75% of fallopian tube cases of PID.
This condition may also be caused by bacteria that has made its way to the reproductive organs through a hysterectomy, sex, childbirth, absorption, a ruptured appendix, or a contraceptive device or IUD.
Not only is PID one of the reasons for infertility in women, but it can also result in an ectopic pregnancy, along with blood poisoning, which can be a potentially lethal complication.
PCO or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: PCO is a condition that affects over 5 million women in the United States alone and is another one of the major reasons for infertility in females. PCO is a condition where the ovaries overproduce the male hormone known as testosterone. The woman will also experience a surge in the Lutinizing hormone (LH) and a drop in her FSH hormone levels. These hormonal imbalances will cause the ovarian follicles to stop producing viable eggs. Instead the follicles will turn into fluid-filled cysts that could potentially cover the ovaries up.
Recent studies have shown that PCO may be casued by a rejection of glucose (the fuel that the body burns to give us energy) by the fat, liver, and muscle cells. Because of this, the pancreas will begin to produce large quantities of insulin, which is the hormone that regulates our body’s sugar levels. This spike in insulin can reak havoc on a woman’s ovaries, along with other parts of her body.
Not only is PCO one of the reasons for infertility in women, but it also carries the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The following are symptoms of PCO:
- Acne
- Depression
- Thinning Hair
- Excessive facial hair
- Abrubt unexplainable weight gain
- Irregular or non-existant periods
- High cholesterol or insulin readings
Endometriosis is another one of the reasons for infertility in women. It is a condition that results in which sections of the uterus’s lining will implant itself in the ovaries, pelvis, fallopian tubes or vagina. These implantations will eventually transform into cysts that will grow with every menstrual cycle that passes, and could later turn into blisters and then scars. If scars result they could end up blocking the passage that the egg will travel.
STD’s like genital herpes may also cause a problem with fertility.
Problems in the Ovaries: A lowered production of any of the 5 hormones that work to regulate the reproductive cycle of a woman could be linked to reasons for infertility.
Hormonal imbalances: Thyroid and adrenal deficiencies are reasons for infertility that result in ovarian and hormonal issues.
Some women have been known to produce an excess amount of the hormone called prolactin that is produced to stimulate breast milk production. This hormone has also been known to prevent ovulation from occurring. Also, an increase of prolactin in a woman who isn’t nursing could be a symptom of a tumor in the pituitary gland. It can also be a result of oral birth control.
Another one of the many reasons for infertility can be an improperly functioning thyroid gland. This can occur when either the thyroid is producing too much or too little of the hormone hyperthyroidism which can cause in interruption in the menstrual cycle and cause infertility.
Immune System Deficiencies: Another one of the many reasons for infertility could be a result of immune cells or antibodies developed by the woman that begin to attack the man’s sperm. This happens because these cells mistake the sperm for harmful invaders.
Fibroids: Fibroids are benign growths that might develop inside the uterus near the cervix or fallopian tubes that may block a fertilized egg from reaching the uterus in order to implant itself. These fibroids tend to be quite common in woman over the age of 30.
Cancer and the Treatment of it is another one of the reasons for infertility in woman. Certain types of cancer, specifically the types that affect the female reproductive system, can often have a damaging effect on female fertility. Both chemotherapy and radiation have also been shown to affect a woman’s reproductive ability. Chemotherapy is a treatment that can be one of the reasons for infertility in both women and men.
Other Various Medical Conditions that cause amenorrhea or late puberty, like sickle cell disease, Cushing’s disease, diabetes, and kidney disease can be one of the reasons for infertility in women.
Caffeine Consumption: Consuming an excessive amount of caffiene has also been shown to reduce female fertility.
