Signs of Infertility

Though the chances of conception is not more than 25% - 30% every month, a couple who are sexually active without using any protection are likely to become pregnant within a year's time. When pregnancy does not occur even after a year, it can be a sign of infertility. However, one cannot say that it is a sure symptom of infertility because sometimes the inability to conceive is caused due to improper timing of intercourse. For conception to occur, the woman has to ovulate i.e. she has to release an egg which has to travel through the fallopian tubes and reach the uterus and then fertilized by the man's sperm. Many couples do not know the exact time of ovulation and this can hamper their chances of getting pregnant. Nevertheless, if timing is not the problem for a couple's inability to conceive, it is important to know that these problems can be cured with proper treatment.

Symptoms of Infertility?

Contrary to popular belief, infertility is not something that only women suffer. On the other hand, it is said that 20% of infertility cases occur due to men. Hence, it is necessary to look for infertility symptoms in men as well as women. However, the problem is that infertility symptoms are not always very obvious. In other words, physical symptoms of infertility are very rare. Nevertheless, there are still some signs that can indicate the problem of infertility and should be known by every couple who are trying to conceive.

Infertility in Women

Irregular Menstrual Cycle: Irregular menstrual cycle can be said to be one of the early clues about infertility. While the normal menstrual cycle stretches till 28 days, there are some women whose menstrual cycle is either shorter (21 days) or longer (35 days). Also, some women do not have periods for many months and this can also be another symptom of infertility. This condition is called amenorrhea and is common in women who are pregnant and those who are going through menopause. However, if you have been suffering from this problem, it can be caused due to conditions like failure of the ovaries, polycystic ovarian syndrome, malformed reproductive organs. Hence, if you are facing this problem, it is important to consult a gynecologist immediately.

Miscarriages: Another common sign of infertility in women is miscarriage which can be defined as the loss or death of the fetus, before the completion of the 20th week of gestation. Research has revealed that 50% of the pregnancies end in miscarriage even before women start showing the signs of pregnancy. On the other hand, it has been observed that 15% of pregnancies get terminated after one comes to know of it and may have been caused by some genetic issues. However, when the woman has undergone three or more miscarriages, it is often taken to be a sign of infertility.

Apart from these two main signs in women, there are some more, that one needs to consider. Some of the other signs that may indicate infertility in women include:

• Excessive bleeding
• Painful periods
• Hormonal imbalance
• Being overweight or underweight
• Being over the age of 35
• Pain during sexual intercourse

Infertility in Men

One of the most common signs observed in men is low sperm count. For conception to occur, men have to produce the correct number of sperm. Apart from the amount, the structure as well as the quality of the sperms do matter for fertilization to happen. However, the problem here is that this infertility symptom is not a physical one i.e. one cannot determine the sperm count without getting a sperm analysis done. So, if you and your partner have been trying to have a baby without any success, a sperm analysis of your partner can help in reaching the root cause of the problem. Apart from this, some other male infertility symptoms include ejaculatory problems, sexual dysfunction, etc.

If you or your partner are experiencing any of these signs, you should not waste more time and consult the doctor immediately. The doctor will suggest several tests to determine what is the reason that is causing infertility. You must understand that these tests actually take lot of time and you and your partner has to undergo a variety of tests to understand the actual reason for infertility. Once the exact cause of infertility is known, the health practitioner will suggest ways to cure the problem and help you in conceiving.