Infertility Symptoms – Definitions
When a couple is unable to become pregnant after 12 months of unprotected intercourse, they are considered infertile. Infertility is the incapacity to procreate.
Couples respond in different ways after being told they are infertile. Severe reactions occur more frequently among childless couples.
Infertile couples who’ve never had children are classified under primary infertility.
On another note, couples who classify under secondary infertility are those who have had a baby before but are now having trouble getting pregnant once more.
The Male Factor
Various factors, both emotional and physical, can lead to infertility.
Infertility cases in men, like low sperm count, retrograde ejaculation, scarring from sexually transmitted diseases, hormone deficiency, and impotence, make up approximately 30-40% of cases.
Intake of prescription drugs like nitrofurantoin, cimetidine and spironolactone and even frequent marijuana use can negatively affect sperm count.
Femaleness
Ovarian cysts, tumors, pelvic infection, hormonal imbalances, ovarian dysfunction, enometriosis, fallopian tube abnormalities, scarring from STD are some examples of “female factors.” These make up between 40 and 50 % of infertility problems among couples.
Risk factors contributed by both the male and the female, in addition to other unknown causes, comprise 10 to 30% of infertility cases.
It is projected that only 10 to 20% of couples won’t be able to get pregnant after one year. It is crucial that couples continue with their attempts at conception for 12 months, at the least.
Age Sensitive Causes
Healthy couples who have intercourse regularly and are below 30 years old have only a 25 to 30% chance a month of becoming pregnant. A woman’s fertility peak is during her 20s. The likelihood of pregnancy for women above 35 years old is less than 10% each month, even less for those beyond 40 years old.
Other Causes Not Age Related
It is not just age or its related factors that causes infertility. Infertility may also be worsened by the following:
* Having more than one sexual partner (high STD risk)
* STIs
* History of pelvic inflammatory disease
* Orchitis or epididymitis history in males
* Males who’ve had mumps
* Abnormal vein enlargement in scrotum
* A health history including DES exposure (males and females)
* Eating and food disorders among females
* Irregular menstruation and anovulation
* Endometriosis
* Problems with the uterus or the cervix
* Long-term disease like diabetes
Other Useful Information
Click here for info about issues related to ovarian cyst pain.
Click here for info about issues concerning a bleeding ovarian cyst.
Click here for info about how to prevent ovarian cysts.