Symptoms of Infertility – Definitions
When a couple is unsuccessful at having a baby after 12 months of unprotected, regular intercourse, they are considered infertile. Infertility is defined as the inability to reproduce.
One or both partners have varying emotional reactions when they are diagnosed as infertile. Extreme reactions are most noted in couples that are childless.
Infertility in couples who’ve never born children is primary infertility.
In another light, secondary infertility refers to couples who had successfully gotten pregnant before but are now having problems conceiving.
The Male Factor
Various factors, both emotional and physical, can lead to infertility.
“Male factors” like hormone deficiency, low sperm count, impotence, retrograde ejaculation, environmental pollutants and scarring from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) cause roughly 30 to 40% of infertility cases.
Intake of prescription drugs like nitrofurantoin, cimetidine and spironolactone and even frequent marijuana use can negatively affect sperm count.
The Female Factor
Pelvic infection, scarring from STDs, endometriosis, ovulation dysfunction, fallopian tube abnormality, tumors, hormonal imbalances, and even poor nutrition are some of these “female factors.” These comprise 40 to 50 % of infertility cases among couples.
Factors contributed by both individuals and unidentifiable factors are responsible for 10 to 30% of all infertility cases.
It is estimated that just 10 to 20% of couples fail to conceive after a year. It is very crucial for couples to contine trying to have a baby at least for 12 months.
Age Sensitive Causes
Healthy partners both below 30 years of age having intercourse regularly only have a 25 to 30% probability every month to become pregnant. The peak of a woman’s fertility is in her 20s. Women above 35 years of age have a less than 10% chance of getting pregnant, and this declines as they get older.
Others Factors Not Related To Age
It is not just age or its related factors that causes infertility. The risk of infertility is also heightened because of the following factors:
* Having had sex with more than one partner
* Sexually transmitted infections
* History of pelvic inflammatory disease
* Males with history of orchitis or epididymitis
* Mumps among men
* Varicocele in males
* A health history including DES exposure (males and females)
* Eating disorders among women
* Anovulatory and irregular menstrual cycles
* Endometriosis
* Uterine problems or a blockage in the cervix
* Long-term disease like diabetes
Other Useful Information
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Click here for information on insurance coverage for infertility .
