Understanding Infertility: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options

What is Infertility:

Infertility refers to the inability to conceive due to problems with the reproductive system of either the male or female partner. 

Infertility can be a primary or secondary source of reliable information. Primary infertility is the inability to conceive at all. Secondary infertility is when a woman has been pregnant before, but she is unable to become pregnant again.

In this article, we will explain the causes, types, and treatments for infertility that both men and women should know about. 

Causes of Infertility: 

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after trying for 12 months. People who fit this definition will experience infertility regardless of their gender. 

Causes in Men: 

The following are common causes of infertility in men: 

Semen and Sperm Problems: 

Semen is a milky fluid released from the penis during ejaculation and is made up of fluid and sperm. This fluid comes from the prostate, seminal vesicles, and other sex glands. Sperm are produced in the testicles. When ejaculate leaves the penis, the semen helps transport sperm toward the egg. 

Things that can make it more difficult for sperm to fertilize an egg include having fewer than 15 million sperm, low sperm motility, or abnormal sperm shape. It will be. Masu. This is because the eggs are difficult to fertilize. 

About 2 men may have this problem with their sperm. 

A Medical Condition: Possible causes include testicular infection, cancer, and surgery.

Overheating of the testicles: Causes include undescended testicles, varicocele, varicose veins in the scrotum, using saunas or hot tubs, wearing tight clothing, and working in hot environments. 

Ejaculation disorder: If the ejaculatory duct is blocked, semen may be ejaculated into the bladder. 

Hormone Imbalance: For example, hypogonadism can cause testosterone deficiency. 

Causes in women: 

There are many possible causes of infertility in women. 

Ovulatory disorders: 

Ovulatory disorders are the cause of approximately 25 cases of infertility in women. Ovulation is the monthly release of an egg. Eggs may not be released at all or may only be released for a few cycles. Ovulation disorders can occur for the following reasons:

Hyperprolactinemia: 

If prolactin levels are high and a woman is not pregnant or breastfeeding, it can affect ovulation and fertility.

Thyroid Problems: An overactive or underactive thyroid gland can create a hormonal imbalance and prevent ovulation.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): This is a hormonal disorder that causes frequent or prolonged periods and can prevent ovulation.

Problems with the uterus or fallopian tubes may also prevent the egg from moving from the ovary to the uterus or uterus. If the egg does not migrate, it will be difficult to conceive naturally. 

Infertility treatments: 

Treatments for conceiving naturally depend on many factors, including the age of the person trying to conceive, how long the infertility has been going on, personal preferences, and overall health. 

Frequency of intercourse: 

The first strategy couples looking to conceive may want to try is to have intercourse more frequently around the time of ovulation. Normally, a menstrual cycle lasts about 28 to 32 days. Usually a woman ovulates somewhere between her 11th day and her 21st day of her last menstrual period. People whose menstrual cycles are shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days should see a doctor. 

Other treatments: 

However, timing of sex alone may not be enough for a couple to conceive. Treatment depends on the underlying cause of infertility. For men, this may include reliable treatments for erectile dysfunction. Surgery may include removing varicose veins in the scrotum or repairing a blocked epididymis. 

For women, your doctor can prescribe ovulation-inducing drugs to regulate or induce ovulation. These include clomiphene (Clomid, Serophene), letrozole (Femara), dopamine agonist drugs, and various hormonal drugs.

Before your infertility test, your medical team or clinic will try to understand your sexual habits. They may be able to give you advice on how to increase your chances of getting pregnant. However, for some infertile couples, no clear cause can be found. This is called unexplained infertility. 

Fertility testing can involve uncomfortable procedures. It can also be expensive. Additionally, some medical plans may not cover the cost of infertility treatment. Also, even if you undergo all kinds of tests and counseling, it is not always possible to become pregnant. 

Tests for men: 

A man’s fertility is determined by whether his testicles produce enough healthy sperm. The sperm is released from the penis into the vagina, where it must travel to the waiting egg. Testing for male infertility looks for treatable problems at any of these stages. 

You may be subject to a physical examination, including a genital check. Specific infertility tests may include: 

Semen analysis. The medical team may ask her for one or more samples of your semen. Semen is often collected by ceasing masturbation or sex and ejaculating into a clean container. A laboratory will then test your semen sample. In some cases, your urine may be tested to see if it contains sperm. 

Hormone testing. Blood tests may be done to check your testosterone and other male hormone levels. 

Genetic testing. This may be done to find out if a genetic defect is causing your infertility.

Testicular biopsy. This procedure involves removing a small amount of testicular tissue so that it can be examined under a microscope in a laboratory. It is not common for a biopsy to be required during infertility testing. In rare cases, it may be done to check if there is a blockage in the reproductive tract that prevents sperm from leaving the body as semen. In most cases, this diagnosis can be made based on medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests. A biopsy may also be done to look for conditions that may be causing infertility. Alternatively, it may be used to collect sperm for assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). 

Imaging. In some cases, your medical team may recommend tests that take pictures of the inside of your body. For example, an ultrasound can check for problems with the scrotum, the glands that make the fluid that becomes semen, or the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles. Her MRI of the brain can check for a non-cancerous pituitary tumor. These tumors can cause the glands to produce too much of the hormone prolactin, which can reduce or reduce the production of sperm in the body.

Other tests. In rare cases, other tests may be done to check the quality of the sperm. For example, a semen sample may need to be tested for DNA issues that could damage the sperm.

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