Women Causing Infertility – Major Reasons for Female Fertility Issues

A woman’s ability to ovulate is a key component of successful conception. In short, a woman who has no means of producing an egg will have zero chance of conceiving. Key signs of ovulation problems include either irregular or absent menstrual periods.

Medical Situations

Two of the more common medical conditions involving ovulation are PCOS and POI. Polycystic ovarian syndrome affects the normal course of ovulation and is defined as a hormal problem. It is the highest reported cause of infertility among females.

On the other hand, primary ovarian insufficiency, is a condition wherein the female’s ovaries cease to function properly before she turns 35 years old. POI is often mistaken to be early menopause, which is a different condition.

Other Related Causes

There are other uterine problems that also contribute to infertility.

- Uterual Fibroids (i.e. non-cancerous bumps on the uterine walls

- Clogged Fallopian tubes caused by ectopic pregnancy surgery, pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis

- Physical issues with the uterus

Factors That Increase Infertility Risks

Aside from problems with one’s health, genes and lifestyle factors can also contribute to female infertility. Including:

- Alcohol and smoking

- Poor diet

- Getting older

- Too much physical activity

- Stress at home or workplace

- Being underweight or overweight

- STIs

- Health issues that affect the body’s hormone producing abilities

Infertility Women Causes - The Age Factor

Often working women often do not have children until their 30s and 40s…and a third of the total cases on infertility involve women who are over 35 years old.

How Does Age Affect Fertility?

- Ovaries weaken over time, and this affects their egg-releasing capacity

- Older gals produce less eggs

- Eggs released by an older woman are not as potent

- Older women may experience healthy issues that interfere with her fertility

- Incidence of miscarriage increases with age

Medication that Stimulates Fertility

These drugs are often prescribed for women who have fertility problems.

- Clomiphene citrate: Often recommended for women with PCOS and hormonal related malfunctions. You might recognize it as Clomid, its popular brand and is taken orally.

- Human menopausal gonadotropin: hMG is an injection used to stimulate the ovaries directly so that egg formation occurs. Pergonal and Repronex are just some of the popular brands.

- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog: Gn-RH is a medication often prescribed for women who don’t ovulate regularly. It acts on the pituitary gland to influence the timing of ovulation. You may buy either the injectable version or the nasal spray.

- Follicle stimulating hormone: The FSH is also an injectable and acts on the ovaries to encourage ovulation. Popular brands are Gonal-F and Follistim.

- Metformin: Metformin is given to women who are either resistant to insulin or have PCOS. This drug, often taken simultaneously with clomiphene or FSH, is designed to regulate male hormones levels in women and cause them to ovulate.

- Bromocriptine: Prolactin is a type of hormone that induces milk production in the mammary glands. Prolactin in sufficient levels causes ovulation to stop. Bromocriptine acts directly on prolactin, slowing it down, so that ovulation can occur.

Multiple Birth Risk

While fertility drugs can and often do succeed at helping women conceive, they can also result in the formation of multiple fetuses. Women carrying multiple fetuses experience more problems during pregnancy than their single fetus counterparts. Multiple fetuses are also more inclined to be born premature…and a prematurely born baby is more at risk of having health problems as he or she grows older.

Certain fertility drugs may lead to a syndrome called ovarian hyperstimulation, a illness that may be fatal.

Because of these health risks & the high cost of assisted reproductive technology, alternative methods have become popular for overcoming infertility without adverse side effects. These remedies cover a vast range from natural healing therapies which are meant to help the body repair itself. Popular natural treatments include acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and nutritional therapy.

Click here for more information on how to increase chances of pregnancy or how to conceive