We can define female infertility as the inability of women to conceive after a longer period of time of having unprotected sex. About 10% of the couples are affected by problems of this kind. Both women and men can be infertile and in 33% of the cases the problems are caused by the infertility of the woman.
Age and women’s infertility
Remember that upon birth women have a given number of eggs. As the years go by, the eggs’ number and quality decreases. The chances of getting pregnant decrease by 3%-5% each year once women turn 30. This reduction of fertility becomes more accentuated after the age of 40.
Causes of infertility in women
There are several different factors that could lead to infertility.
Damaged fallopian tubes
If the fallopian tubes are damaged it is possible that the egg and the sperm will never get in contact. Endometriosis, pelvic infections and pelvic surgeries can result in scars and damages to the fallopian tubes
Hormonal causes
Female infertility can also be caused by problems with ovulation. Hormonal changes are supposed to result in the release of a mature egg and to the endometrium’s thickening. If there are hormonal problems these processes don’t take place. Issues of this kind can be detected through BBT charting, blood tests or ovulation prediction kits.
Cervical causes
There are a few women who have women’s fertility issues because their cervix simply doesn’t allow sperm to pass to meet the released egg. This problem might be caused by the production of abnormal mucus or some kind of medical procedure. In this case women could get pregnant through intrauterine insemination.
Uterine causes
When it comes to female infertility women also have to think about having an abnormally shaped uterus, uterine fibroids or polyps. The sad truth is that in about 20% of all the infertility cases the doctors cannot determine the source of infertility, not even with the help of the latest technology.
Determining the cause
There are several tests that can be used to determine the cause of the issues with women’s infertility. First of all the doctors can perform a blood test to verify the hormone levels. It is also possible to have an endometrial biopsy in order to check the endometrium (the uterus’ lining).
Hysterosalpingography
In order to find the cause of the female infertility there are X-rays or ultrasound taken of the genital organs. Saline or dye and air are introduced into the cervix. These travel to the fallopian tubes. As a result the doctors will see if there is some obstruction in the way of sperm.
Laparoscopy
This is another procedure meant to find the cause of the women’s fertility problems. There is a small incision made into the wall of the uterus and a laparoscope is inserted through it. With its help the doctors can take a look at the fallopian tubes, uterus and ovaries to find the source of the problem.
Luckily in our days there is a lot of information available regarding female infertility.
