Signs of infertility are really very simple: Either a couple conceives or they don’t – and if they don’t for over a year – this is a sign of infertility.
Some of the reasons for the reduced fertility in women as they age are a diminished ability for their ovaries to release eggs and the lower health level of those eggs. In addition, aging women become more likely with each passing year to have health issues that interfere with their fertility. There’s also a higher risk for miscarriage.
Of course, the years of highest fertility are in a woman’s twenties, followed by increasing difficulties conceiving in her mid-thirties. By her late thirties her ovaries aren’t making eggs like they used to and miscarriage risks become significant. Infertility is a common problem for women who drink or smoke very much. Today, age-related infertility is the number one reason for difficulty in conceiving for women as more women are choosing to put off having their first child until they are at least thirty-five.
When women fail to conceive after a whole year of intercourse, they are considered to fall in the Primary Infertility category. If they have conceived once before but have gone a year without conceiving (while trying the whole year), they are considered to be in the Secondary Infertility category.
Infertility issues plague both men and women equally, according to some experts, while others say women comprise sixty percent. Statistics show that ten percent of actively trying couples have trouble conceiving, with four of five conceiving within a year. A “normal” amount of time to conceive is considered to be up to two years.
Often, couples must each submit to thorough physical examinations to determine their fertility factors. There is a general misunderstanding by many couples that it’s only the female who could possibly have the fertility issue. Males, however, account for a large percentage, which is why it’s important that they get a medical exam as well.
As a baseline for later comparison, one of the first tests done will be a woman’s LH – or Luteinizing Hormone and her FSH – or Follicle Stimulating Hormone. Normally, these tests are done on a woman’s first visit and her third visit to the specialist. The tests for these two hormones – LH and FSH – can also be performed on the male as well, if deemed appropriate by the fertility specialist. These hormones are both critical for the development of sperm cells.
There are many other fertility tests available to the fertility specialist. Some of these – for the female – are the cervical mucus test, hormone tests (other than LH or FSH), and ultrasound tests. The cervical mucus test is done less often now, but sometimes it’s done because the male does not want to be tested. For this test, two to eight hours after intercourse, the doctor will test the vaginal mucus for the presence and health of sperm.
Ultrasound testing can be done as part of your initial consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist. Ultrasound testing is done to get an overall picture of the health of all the female reproductive organs. Ultrasound imaging is also done to see if an egg has been released from ovulation.
There are many other tests for reproductive-related hormones available to the reproductive endocrinologist: They include tests for total testosterone, progesterone, estradiol, prolactin, free T3, free testosterone, androstenedione, and DHEAS.
Treatments for infertility can be expensive and not covered by insurance, and it depends on what needs to be treated, and how far a couple is willing to go with treatment. A relatively common cause of infertility in women is PCOS or (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), which is treated with a drug called metformin in combination with clomiphene.
Problems ovulating can be treated with the drug clomiphene. The next thing on the list of ever-increasing extreme treatments for infertility is hormone therapy. This is more extreme because besides bad side effects, it often results in multiple-baby pregnancies.
In Vitro Fertilization (a.k.a. “IVF”) is at the top of the most extreme measures that a couple can take in their effort to conceive. Expensive, emotionally and physically taxing, it requires daily hormone injections (can be painful), daily monitoring by a doctor, and regular blood testing. With acupuncture by fertility acupuncture specialists in combination with IVF, however, the success rate is very high indeed – one in three couples are parents. This can come with the ‘cost,’ however, of having to raise twins (one-third of couples who use IVF and get pregnant have twins).
Janet has been writing helpful articles on fertility and pregnancy for years. Discover more about the signs of infertility and ways to monitor fertility with innovative solutions such as the Clear blue Fertility Monitor and other methods on the website.
categories: pregnancy,infertility,fertility,babies,women’s issues,women,health
