Coping With Infertility

Infertility is defined as a condition where couples fail to conceive despite more than a year of unprotected, well timed sexual intercourse. The good news is that most couples, who are unsuccessful in having a baby, eventually do conceive, with or without treatment.

Male infertility: What causes it?

Male fertility involves the production of mature sperms and getting the Sperm to reach and fertilize the egg. Some of the other factors that affect male fertility include:

• the ability to have and sustain an erection—erectile dysfunction,
• low Sperm count,
• lack of sperms,
• having enough Semen to carry the sperms to the egg,
• having sperms of the right shape that move in the right way,
• recurring episodes of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and
• lifestyle factors—smoking, alcohol, obesity, stress, drug use, etc.

Female infertility
Causes of female infertility include:

• Fallopian Tube damage or blockage,
• endometriosis,
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS),
• premature menopause,
• uterine fibroids,
• hormonal imbalances,
• cancer and treatment,
• obesity, aorexia and bulimia, and
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD).

Your fertility can also be affected by certain lifestyle and environmental factors including age, stress, poor diet, being overweight or underweight, smoking, drugs and alcohol, medication, environmental toxins, genetic conditions and other health problems, such as Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

Diagnosing infertility
Fertility specialists are likely to obtain a medical history of both partners, such as previous history of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), pelvic infections and other illnesses before evaluating them and announcing the diagnosis.

Treating infertility: What are the options available?

It is important to understand the physiology of Ovulation so a couple can keep sexual relations during that time.

Medical treatment may sometimes be necessary to help you become pregnant. If the reason for infertility is linked to lifestyle, your doctor may suggest you lose or gain weight, increase or decrease exercise, or stop smoking and alcohol use.

Many treatments increase the chances of pregnancy. To treat infertility, your doctor may suggest medication, surgery or assisted reproductive technologies (ART). You may also be referred to other doctors who specialize in infertility treatment. In some cases, different treatments may be combined to improve outcomes.

Increasing chances of conception: Some tips
Although biological infertility cannot be prevented, other forms of infertility can be treated to increase the chances of conception. Knowing the factors that contribute to infertility will help couples take preventive measures to avoid them.

1. Being Obese or underweight affects ovulation; improper Ovulation affects fertility.
2. Smoking, drinking alcohol and exposure to certain chemicals like pesticides or toxins impair fertility.

The yearning to have a baby can put couples under psychological stress and social pressure. Infertility could be a problem associated with either partners or both. Nevertheless, with recent advances in modern medicine, couples must keep good faith that there is still hope and that nature’s delays are not always nature’s denials.