Infertility
Infertility is the inability to become pregnant in both men and women
How common is infertility?
- It effects 6.1 million of American couples
- 25% of infertile couples have more than one reason that causes their infertility
Why
The growth of this medical problem may be due to:
Women waiting until their mid-thirties to start a family, when their reproductive
possibilities are lower.
STD’s are becoming more common. An STD such as chlamydia may block tube
preventing pregnancy from occurring.
Infertility affects men and women almost equally
For men- declining sperm count, increased testicular abnormalities
For women- the most common are tube blockage, endometriosis, and waiting until later in
life to get pregnant.
In women ovulations problems may be caused by one or more of the following:
1. a hormone imbalance 5. Tumor or cyst
2.eating disorder 6.acholor or drug use
3.STD’S 7.thyroid gland problem
4.excess weight 8. stress
Damage to the fallopian tube or uterus may be caused by one or more of the following:
1. a birth defect 5. A previous infection
2. a previous ectopic pregnancy 6. Polyps in the uterus
3. chronic medical issues 7. Pelvic inflammatory disease
4. scar tissues or adhesion 8. Endometriosis or fibroids
Reasons for infertility in men:
1. wearing restrictive or tight underwear 5. A hormone disorder
2. blockage causes from a previous infection 6. A severe mumps infection
3. exposure to radiation 7. Use of alcohol or tobacco or other drugs
4. exposure to poisonous chemicals 8. A preexisting genetic condition
How long should couples try to conceive before becoming concerned?
- Under 35- 12 month
- Over 35- 6 moths
Options for infertile couples:
1. Adoption-
A child who is not biological the couple’s child, become part of the
family.
2. Artificial Insemination-
Sperm is injected into the women uterus
3. In Vitro Fertilization-
An egg from the women is removed and fertilized with sperm from the
man and then places into the woman’s uterus
4. Ovum Transfer -
A fertilized egg from a donor is placed in the woman’s uterus
5. Surrogate Mother –
A woman becomes pregnant for a woman who cannot have a baby
6. Sperm, egg, embryo donation-
A man donates his sperm to be used in artificial insemination or in vitro
fertilization (IVF) to help a woman conceive.
A woman donates her eggs to another woman, often through IVF, to help her
achieve pregnancy.
In this process, a fertilized embryo (created from another couple’s sperm and egg)
is donated to a recipient who may not be able to produce viable embryos on their
own.
