Cause Of Infertility

A lot of people who are not blessed with a child will commonly ask: What is the cause of infertility? It is as if saying: "What exactly is wrong with me?"

So desperate to know what the real picture is, these individuals will surely want answers. In this page, the cause of infertility - both in men and women are revealed

An introduction to the cause of infertility - Looking at the reproductive process

According to Mayo Clinic, becoming pregnant will require both ovulation and fertilisation to work just right. A series of processes takes place during this period. For one, the pituitary gland signals a woman to prepare her egg for ovulation. Then, the FSH and LH dictate the ovaries to release these eggs. The egg will then travel via the fallopian tube and will go through fertilisation after its release.

Conception is most likely to happen when a man and a woman is joined by sexual intercourse one to two days even before ovulation takes place. However, it has to be pointed out that the sperm has to be united with the egg, meaning, pregnancy is impossible unless the sperm count and shape are both in good condition. If the egg is fertilised, it will move to the uterus thus causing pregnancy.

Cause of infertility - what both man and woman should know

When something goes wrong with the complex process as presented above, then infertility becomes a problem. Contrary to what others think that infertility is a common male problem, we will find out that it is more of a female problem. In fact, the statistics have been mentioned via MayoClinic.com. Only 20% of infertility cases are due to males whilst around 40% to 50% involve women. The remaining 30% to 40% is caused by both genders.

Cause of infertility in men

According to Stanford University, male infertility can be caused by lifestyle choices. Men who live a healthy life are most likely to produce healthy sperm. However, those who choose to smoke, use marijuana and are prone to chronic alcohol abuse are most likely to face the consequences of infertility. Some other lifestyle choices that may result to this problem are intense exercises, excessive stress, anabolic steroid use and inadequate vitamin E and zinc supplementation. Wearing of tight underwear can also be a cause of infertility in men in that this can increase scrotal temperature thus resulting to decreased sperm production.

Other than lifestyle choices though, there are yet other causes of infertility in men. For one, you can take note of impaired functioning and production of the sperm. It may also be brought about by impaired delivery of the sperm due to retrograde ejaculation, blockage of the epididymis, misplaced urinary opening and a number of other sexual issues.

Cause of infertility in women 

Female infertility can be brought about by a lot of factors as well. The most common causes of this problem in women are:

1. Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS. In this case, the body produces too much androgen, a primary factor that affects ovulation in women.

2. Early menopause. Early menopause is characterised by not having any menses even before a woman reaches the age of 40. This may be brought about by certain immune system diseases, chemotherapy and smoking.

3. Ovulation disorders. These ovulation disorders can bring about a decrease in the FSH and LH and slight irregularities in the hormone system. When these things take place, there is a greater tendency that the egg will not be released for fertilisation and maturation. This will then stop a woman from being pregnant.

4. Elevated prolactin. Often known as the condition hyperprolactinemia, this is a problem that causes too much stimulation of breast milk production. An excess of prolactin in the body especially in mothers who are not pregnant and are not nursing would hamper ovulation.

5. Other causes. There are yet other things associated with cause of infertility in women. Some of these conditions include existence of thyroid disorders that are said to affect the menstrual cycle. Certain types of medications may also cause temporary infertility. Kidney disease and diabetes may also result to this condition. Too much caffeine intake may also be a cause.

Treating the cause of infertility

There are certain treatments recommended to treat the cause of this problem. If women are attempting to lessen the risk of miscarriage due to infertility, the most appropriate action to take is to cure the problem using some techniques. Dr. Marilyn Grenville suggests that diet changes be made and smoking, caffeine intake and alcohol ingestion should also be reduced. Supplements with folic acid, zinc, selenium, Vitamin E and essential fatty acids will also be of help.

Now that we have identified the cause of infertility, both in men and women, it is about time to put your act together. Look for necessary solutions to your problem. Counselling is also a recommended fertility treatment.