Reproduction is one of the more important mechanisms, that we humans are equipped of. In the absence of this, some of us may consider the valuable loss of life. This is probably why once a couple does not conceive within a 1-year period of unprotected sexual intercourse, they become anxious that they may be subject to infertility.

In fact, the symptom of not conceiving in 1 year alone is one good basis for diagnosing infertility. There is not much that the medical community hasn’t unraveled yet when it comes to infertility. This article will focus on the causes of infertility for both men and women.

Causes of Female Infertility

Endometriosis- this is a condition characterized by the growth of the endometrial tissue outside the uterus. This tissue is the substance women discharge during menstruation.

Ovulation problem- a condition that arises from abnormality in the release of hormones that drive the release of mature eggs from the ovaries.

Poor egg quality- the weakness or damage in the egg cells usually characterizes poor egg quality. Age is primarily the root cause since as women mature, their eggs mature with them. This condition eventually leads to menopause.

Polycystic ovary syndrome- formation of small cysts in the ovaries may be the result of irregular ovulation or hormonal imbalances.

Female tube blockages- once the passage of the eggs towards the uterus or the sperm towards the ovaries is blocked, conception would be impossible since the meeting of the two cells won’t facilitate. Causes of this condition may be pelvic inflammatory disease and several forms of sexually transmitted disease.

Causes of Male Infertility

Male tube blockages- this may occur either at the epididymis or the vas deferens, both of which are sperm passages. However, varicoceles located at the testicles account for the leading cause of this condition.

Sperm problems- this could be anything from the absence of sperm cells to low sperm count along with poor sperm quality and sperm deformation.

Sperm allergy- this may the product of the immune system’s reaction towards any phenomenon that attracts brain signals sending the reaction of the system. Men usually experience this after having vasectomy.

Combination of Female and Male Factors- This occurs when both couples present conditions that may be identified as causes of infertility.

Unexplained Infertility- This probably is the catch-all of causes when physicians don’t find any results after conducting intensive study of the case.

Signs To Watch Out For:

The most definite and obvious sign of infertility is the weakness of a person or a couple to conceive a child within a period of a year of unprotected sexual intercourse.

Though that may be quite simple, the struggles that this sign entails create dramatic changes in a couple’s life. In most cases, people have no knowledge that they are actually patients of infertility. The main reason- the lack of immediate symptoms.

Infertility by nature is a condition that does not deal with the physical-external make-up of the person affected by it. There are no external measures and symptoms that we may conduct and observe when examining if a person is infertile. In fact, before any diagnosis is made pertaining to infertility one has to undergo a series of extensive examinations, physical tests and other techniques which themselves are very taxing.

In case that the couple was able to conceive yet have undergone multiple miscarriages, they probably may fall under the category of infertility. However, it would still be safe if they consult a physician first for further analysis of their case.

If you are experiencing the absence of menstrual bleeding yet the results of pregnancy test tells you that you are not pregnant, then you might be a patient of infertility. If this condition prevails for some months it is likely that something in your reproductive system is impaired.

Once you experience pain somewhere in your pelvic area, it would be best that you disclose this with a physician. Abnormal pain may be caused by conditions like endometriosis and internal infections.

Watch out for basal temperatures. These are good indications that your system may be having some troubles. Abnormal rise or fall of basal body temperature is linked with hormonal imbalances that concern mostly the hormones needed for ovulation.

Say if your basal body temperature is low while undergoing the first part of your cycle that may indicate too high estrogen release in your body. Meanwhile, high basal body temperature at this stage could possibly indicate low progesterone.

Anovulation may be indicated through the absence of upward shifting of the basal body temperature. On the other end of the scale, male infertility seems to posses no clear signs except the obvious- erectile dysfunction.

This condition is characterized by the inability to create erection, which may be contributed largely by the abnormalities in the blood vessels, specifically those found in the penis. Diseases and conditions like stroke, abuse of alcohol, and major problems in the circulatory system may also cause Erectile Dysfunction.

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One of the first and obvious signs of infertility is the absence of a child despite trying to conceive for some time (a year or more). If you have tried to conceive through unprotected sex or intercourse every other day during ovulation, but without much success, it is time for a doctor’s appointment to confirm infertility or to discover another medical problem that impedes your desire to conceive.

There are common signs of infertility and common risk factors of infertility for men and women. First is age. As people age their fertility rates decline. A woman’s fertility declines at a more dramatic rate than a man’s. Weight, such as being underweight or overweight, can also influence fertility.

Women exhibit some or most of the signs of infertility. Irregular and painful cycles indicate that the woman is not ovulating or suffering from endometriosis. Endometriosis is a harmless lesion that develops in the pelvic region outside the uterus. When the lesions bleed during menstruation, it can result to pain, cysts, adhesion or scar tissue, and infertility. Miscarriages, which can occur three times or more, may be a sign of infertility. Pelvic inflammatory diseases, such as those caused by chlamydia, gonorrhea, and mycoplasma, and other bacterial or viral infections can also affect fertility. The adhesions caused by such would eventually lead to removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the uterus.

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Some signs of infertility do not conclude infertility itself. If it does, it does not mean that it is permanent. A regular gynecological exam can determine infertility. If such exam is not enough, there special fertility test that may be taken to determine infertility. A woman may undergo ovarian reserve testing, ovulation and hormone testing, genetic testing, laparoscopy, pelvic ultrasound, and hysterosalpingography. Only you and your doctor can decide the best fertility test to take. So, consult one and prepare your questions about these tests and how accurate they are.

Other signs of infertility for men cannot be seen through physical examination alone. Some of these signs can only be seen through laboratory analysis. No one can actually see low sperm count, retrograde ejaculation, or prostate infection without medical apparatus.

Thus, it is necessary for men to undergo the routine medical examination and some sophisticated testing such as semen analysis, hormone testing, and transrectal and scrotal ultrasound. Medical exams would require that you reveal your lifestyle in general, genetic history, and certain sexual habits. The laboratory tests would reveal the health of the semen and whether it is delivered properly to the uterus. The tests would determine if all the elements of healthy conception are present.

If some of the elements are missing, your doctor would provide the necessary options you can take to correct the signs of infertility immediately. Don’t forget to ask the side effects of those treatments, if such exist, so that you won’t get any unexpected surprises. 

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