Infertility in Women Causes

Infertility is a major concern for a large number of couples throughout the world. According to estimates, about 15% of American couples are infertile. Infertility is usually defined as the inability to conceive despite trying for a period of at least 1 year. Both men and women can suffer from infertility. Women are usually likely to experience a gradual decline in their fertility potential after the age of 35, and this decline can be quite sharp after late 30s. Fertility is governed by several factors, or in other words, several factors can have an association with infertility in both men and women.

What Can Cause Infertility in Females?

Female infertility can result from a number of gynecological problems, or problems and defects in their reproductive organs like, the ovary, fallopian tubes. It could also be associated with a failure to ovulate. Even hormonal problems and certain diseases can render a woman infertile.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Ovaries are responsible for producing the egg and hence, any problem in the ovaries can affect fertility. One of the most common ovarian problems that women can encounter is polycystic ovarian syndrome, characterized by the production of excessive amount of the hormone androgen by the ovaries. The disease got its name for the appearance of small cysts along the edge of the ovaries, that can be observed in most of the women suffering from this condition. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is one of the most common causes of infertility and irregular menstruation in women.

Endometriosis
Endometriosis is the condition characterized by the growth of endometrial tissues outside the uterus. Normally, endometrial tissues are the tissues that form the lining of the uterus. But sometimes, these tissues can grow outside the uterus in places like, the ovaries, fallopian tubes and anywhere inside the pelvic cavity. Growth of endometrial tissues outside the uterus can prevent the passage of the egg, and affect the normal functions of the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the uterus, which can result in infertility.

Problems of the Fallopian Tubes
Damage or blockage of the fallopian tubes can also cause this problem in women. If the fallopian tubes are damaged or blocked, the fertilized egg could not reach the uterus for implantation. This can increase the risk for infertility and ectopic pregnancy, where the fertilized egg gets implanted outside the uterus. Fallopian tubes can be damaged by sexually transmitted diseases like, chlamydia and gonorrhea, and pelvic inflammatory diseases.

Problem in Ovulation
Pregnancy cannot occur, if ovulation does take place. Ovulation refers to the release of an egg from the ovary. Ovulation is regulated by the luteinizing hormone (LH) and the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Any irregularities in the secretion or production of these hormones can prevent ovulation, without which women cannot conceive. Absence of ovulation can be associated with disorders of the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, which are responsible for regulating ovulation and the entire menstrual cycle in women.

Premature Ovarian Failure
Premature ovarian failure is also known as early menopause which is characterized by the early depletion of ovarian follicles, which produce the egg. As a result the ovaries fail to produce egg, which can eventually lead to infertility. Some of the possible causes of premature ovarian failure are, disorders of the adrenal, pituitary and thyroid gland, cancer treatment and autoimmune diseases.

Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases
Pelvic inflammatory diseases are considered as some of the most important causes of infertility in young women throughout the world. Pelvic inflammatory diseases can be caused by bacterial infections of the reproductive organs, and other structures located in the pelvic area. Among the reproductive organs, the fallopian tubes are more commonly affected by this condition, and it accounts for the most of the cases of infertility associated with pelvic inflammatory diseases. Sexually transmitted diseases like, chlamydia and gonorrhea are the most important risk factors for pelvic inflammatory diseases.

Other Causes
Women can lose their fertility due to several other conditions like hormonal imbalance, especially excessive secretion of the hormone prolactin and deficiency of follicle stimulating hormone, development of uterine fibroids or benign tumors in the uterine wall, pelvic adhesions, structural defects of the reproductive organs, sperm allergy, thyroid disorders, cancer and cancer treatment, and intake of certain medications. It has been observed that factors like, smoking, excess body weight or obesity, being underweight, repeated miscarriages, malnutrition, eating disorders like, anorexia nervosa or bulimia, too much exercise and excessive intake of alcohol and caffeine are some of the major risk factors for this condition.

Treatment for Female Infertility

In many instances, it is possible to treat infertility successively. The success of infertility treatment depends on several factors including, the underlying causes of infertility, age of the women and for how long she has been infertile. Many times, fertility can be restored by curing the underlying medical condition. Normally, fertility drugs are used for women who fail to conceive, due to problems in ovulation. Sometimes, surgery can also be required for infertility treatment, depending on the underlying causes. As for examples, fallopian tube blockage can be corrected by surgical procedures. If infertility cannot be corrected, then women can opt for the assisted reproductive technology such as, in vitro fertilization and assisted hatching.

To sum up, human infertility can result from a number of conditions. Proper infertility treatment is possible only after ascertaining the factors responsible for this condition. Though there are no specific infertility symptom, it has been observed that many infertile women have a history of irregular or abnormal menstrual cycles, and severe pelvic pain. Therefore, women with a history of irregular menstrual periods, as well as those with conditions like, endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory diseases should get themselves properly evaluated, if they have not been able to conceive even after trying for more than a year.