Infertility is the inability to conceive. It also refers to the state of a woman who is unable
to carry a pregnancy to full term.
About 40 percent of the issues involved with infertility are due to the
man, another 40 percent due to the woman, and 20 percent result from
complications with both partners.
There are many biological causes of infertility, including some that medical intervention can treat.Infertility has increased since the 1980s, mostly from health problems due to an increase in age.
Women who are fertile experience a natural period of fertility before and during ovulation, and they are naturally infertile during the rest of the menstrual cycle.
Fertility awareness methods are used to discern when these changes occur by tracking changes in cervical mucus or basal body temperature.
Data from UK, 2009.
For women, problems with fertilisation arise mainly from either structural problems in the Fallopian tube or uterus or problems releasing eggs.
Infertility may be caused by blockage of the Fallopian tube due to malformations, infections such as chlamydia and/or scar tissue. For example, endometriosis can cause infertility with the growth of endometrial tissue in the Fallopian tubes and/or around the ovaries.
Endometriosis is usually more common in women in their mid-twenties and older, especially when postponed childbirth has taken place.
Another major cause of infertility in women may be the inability to ovulate. Malformation of the eggs themselves may complicate conception.
For example, polycystic ovarian syndrome is when the eggs only partially developed within the ovary and there is an excess of male hormones.
Some women are infertile because their ovaries do not mature and release eggs. In this case synthetic FSH by injection or Clomid (Clomiphene citrate) via a pill can be given to stimulate follicles to mature in the ovaries.
Other factors that can affect a woman's chances of conceiving include being overweight or underweight, or her age as female fertility declines after the age of 35.
Sometimes it can be a combination of factors, and sometimes a clear cause is never established.
Common causes of infertility of females include:
There may be testicular malformations, hormone imbalance, or blockage of the man's duct system. Although many of these can be treated through surgery or hormonal substitutions, some may be more indefinite. Infertility associated with viable, but immotile sperm may be caused by primary ciliary dyskinesia.
There are many biological causes of infertility, including some that medical intervention can treat.Infertility has increased since the 1980s, mostly from health problems due to an increase in age.
Women who are fertile experience a natural period of fertility before and during ovulation, and they are naturally infertile during the rest of the menstrual cycle.
Fertility awareness methods are used to discern when these changes occur by tracking changes in cervical mucus or basal body temperature.
Causes
Causes in either sex
Factors that can cause male as well as female infertility are:- DNA damage
- DNA damage reduces fertility in female ovocytes, as caused by smoking, other xenobiotic DNA damaging agents (such as radiation or chemotherapy) or accumulation of the oxidative DNA damage 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine
- DNA damage reduces fertility in male sperm, as caused by oxidative DNA damage, smoking, other xenobiotic DNA damaging agents (such as drugs or chemotherapy) or other DNA damaging agents including reactive oxygen species, fever or high testicular temperature
- Genetic factors
- A Robertsonian translocation in either partner may cause recurrent spontaneous abortions or complete infertility.
- General factors
- Diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, adrenal disease
- Hypothalamic-pituitary factors
- Hyperprolactinemia
- Hypopituitarism
- The presence of anti-thyroid antibodies is associated with an increased risk of unexplained subfertility with an odds ratio of 1.5 and 95% confidence interval of 1.1–2.0.
- Environmental factors
- Toxins such as glues, volatile organic solvents or silicones, physical agents, chemical dusts, and pesticides. Tobacco smokers are 60% more likely to be infertile than non-smokers.
Specific female causes
The following causes of infertility may only be found in females. For a woman to conceive, certain things have to happen: intercourse must take place around the time when an egg is released from her ovary; the systems that produce eggs and sperm have to be working at optimum levels; and her hormones must be balanced.For women, problems with fertilisation arise mainly from either structural problems in the Fallopian tube or uterus or problems releasing eggs.
Infertility may be caused by blockage of the Fallopian tube due to malformations, infections such as chlamydia and/or scar tissue. For example, endometriosis can cause infertility with the growth of endometrial tissue in the Fallopian tubes and/or around the ovaries.
Endometriosis is usually more common in women in their mid-twenties and older, especially when postponed childbirth has taken place.
Another major cause of infertility in women may be the inability to ovulate. Malformation of the eggs themselves may complicate conception.
For example, polycystic ovarian syndrome is when the eggs only partially developed within the ovary and there is an excess of male hormones.
Some women are infertile because their ovaries do not mature and release eggs. In this case synthetic FSH by injection or Clomid (Clomiphene citrate) via a pill can be given to stimulate follicles to mature in the ovaries.
Other factors that can affect a woman's chances of conceiving include being overweight or underweight, or her age as female fertility declines after the age of 35.
Sometimes it can be a combination of factors, and sometimes a clear cause is never established.
Common causes of infertility of females include:
- ovulation problems (e.g. polycystic ovarian syndrome, PCOS, the leading reason why women present to fertility clinics due to anovulatory infertility)
- tubal blockage
- pelvic inflammatory disease
- age-related factors
- uterine problems
- previous tubal ligation
- endometriosis
- advanced maternal age
Specific male causes
The main cause of male infertility is low semen quality. In men who have the necessary reproductive organs to procreate, infertility can be caused by low sperm count due to endocrine problems, drugs, radiation, or infection.There may be testicular malformations, hormone imbalance, or blockage of the man's duct system. Although many of these can be treated through surgery or hormonal substitutions, some may be more indefinite. Infertility associated with viable, but immotile sperm may be caused by primary ciliary dyskinesia.
0 comments:
Post a Comment