Written on February 21, 2008 by Gordon
The world is unfair, isn¡¦t it? You finallly get married with someone you love, but then you realized that getting pregnant isn¡¦t as easy as you might thought. For those who have problem with fertility, it is a very frustrating experience as if you and your loved one are the only couples who have this problem. Most couples may look around at the other couples with their bouncing bundles of joy as proof positive of this fact. They may also have many friends and family members who announce one day that they are planning on starting a family, and who are seemingly pregnant immediately after. The fact is, you are NOT alone.
Believe it or not, infertility is much more common than you might think. It¡¦s estimated that about 1 in every 10 couples that are attempting to have a baby, have some type of problem with infertility. Imagine ten other couples that you know who have children, and you can make a safe bet that at least one of them faced some difficulty when it came to conceiving. And when you think about this on a national scale, 1 in 10 couples means 5 to 6 million couples in the U.S. every year have some difficulty getting pregnant.
But what exactly defines the concept of infertility? Simply put, this is when a couple is having regular (twice per week on average) unprotected sex and are still not pregnant after a year of trying.
This may be surprising news to some couples, who often assume that a month or so of trying is all that¡¦s needed to signal a problem with infertility. Not so, say doctors. Because of the many details that need to align perfectly for a woman to conceive, it can actually take that many times trying before there is any need for concern.
Obviously it¡¦s true that there are some who have a much more difficult time with conception than others; and of course there are many factors that will contribute to this problem. Some couples seem to be much more fertile than others, and this may very well be the case. Some men simply have a higher sperm count than average, and of course the more sperm he had, the greater his chance of having one reach a woman¡¦s egg to fertilize it. Additionally, some women have problems with ovulation and do not release a healthy, viable egg every month, so there may need to be a few months worth of attempts in order for her to conceive.
But while infertility is something that is more common than you might think, it is also a very personal issue. You should never make the mistake of comparing your abilities to conceive to anyone else¡¦s, even those in your own family. Again, you may know of a couple who seem to be able to get pregnant just by talking about it, while you and your partner have been trying for weeks and months, but this isn¡¦t necessarily a cause for concern. Everyone¡¦s body is different, everyone¡¦s reproductive abilities are different as well. If you are really concerned about whether or not you will need medical intervention or another way of helping you with your supposed infertility, then be sure to speak to your doctor, as only he or she will be able to know for sure. Before you decide to visit your doctor, make sure you check out our articles to learn more about infertility/fertility.
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Written on February 21, 2008 by Gordon
Women are affected by infertility as much as men are. Infertility indicates the inability to conceive a child even after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse. Women need not undergo extensive tests and physical examinations for being diagnosed for infertility. However the case is exactly the opposite in men. This is so because it is highly difficult to spot infertility in men unless there’s a sign of erectile dysfunction
If we loom into the causes of infertility in women, there are many and let’s have a closer look at it one by one.
PID:
Pelvic Inflammatory disease is said to be caused by infection of bacteria in the internal organs of reproduction. The infection spreads to the area around pelvic region and in some cases to the intestines also. If the fallopian tubes are infected, it is termed as Salpingitis. This condition contributes to infertility in women.
Endometriosis:
It is a condition that prevails due to development of endometrial tissues in organs other than uterus. Medical history claims that about 30% of infertility cases are due to this condition.
Premature Menopause:
In some women menopause starts to occur prior to 40 years of age. It is characterized by irregular menstrual bleeding. As this condition interferes with development of mature eggs, infertility occurs.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome:
This condition occurs due to excess production of androgen in the body that reduces secretion of Follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. As a result the process of ovulation is not carried out properly.
Treatment options available for women are many. But care should be taken while choosing a perfect treatment that would suit one’s body condition while bringing out desirable outcomes without any si’de effects. To ensure this, it is always better to consult an infertility specialist before deciding on one’s own.
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Written on February 21, 2008 by Gordon
Infertility is generally regarded as a disease in women. But half the cases that are reported for infertility are due to men. To diagnose a man for being infertile, the first step to be taken is consulting an urologist. The urologist would want to do a semen analysis. It might be an embarrassing situation for some, but it is only done to investigate if the disease lies within a man so that it could be corrected. Usually a couple of semen analysis is done to determine any defects in a man. If both the tests come out to be normal then it could be confirmed that the man is fertile.
Semen analysis checks whether sperms are being produced in the semen. If produced are the number of sperms enough to cause fertilization? The analysis also checks the mobility of sperms that is if the sperms are able to move properly in order to reach the egg. There might also be problems with the structure of the sperms.
The next step is to determine why there is a defect in the sperm. It could be because of retrograde ejaculation i.e. men with this condition cannot effectively ejaculate the sperms out of the penis. The sperms enter the bladder instead. This could be because of diabetes or some surgery performed in the prostate, urethra or bladder.
Sexually transmitted diseases or infections in the reproductive glands could also be a reason for infertility in men. This could be resolved by undergoing proper treatment for the infection.
Some men have blockage in the testicles that hinders the sperms from entering the semen. This problem might be treated by a surgery in the part with block.
Other causes that effectively contribute to infertility in men are genetic defects, premature ejaculation and varicoceles, hormonal imbalance and autoimmune problems.
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Written on February 21, 2008 by Gordon
The most obvious sign of infertility is the inability to conceive a child, following unprotected sexual intercourse.
Many couple fail to recognise that they are infertile as the condition is not marked by a specific series of symptoms. The physical appearance of a person has nothing to do with the symptoms of infertility, yet a series of exterior physical examination has to be undergone if one wants to determine whether one is fertile or not.
Women who have multiple miscarriages, ability of being able to conceive a child might be categorized under being infertile. However this has to be checked with one¡¦s physician. Absence of menstrual bleeding accompanied by negative results for pregnancy should be immediately reported to one¡¦s doctor for careful examination, as this might lead to very bad results if left unchecked.
Pain in the abdominal region is one of the symptoms of infertility in women. One needs to check the basal temperature regularly to assure perfect balanceof hormones that are neccesary for stimulating ovulation. Low basal temperatures indicate hish levels of estrogen while high level of basal temperatures indicate low levels of progesterone. Male fertility has clear symptoms except erectile dysfarction that might either be caused by problems in the blood vessels or by conditions like alcoholism stress and problems in the circulatory system.
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Written on February 21, 2008 by Gordon
A child brings a lot of happiness into a family. Any family awaits the arrival of a new born not only because of they would enjoy the company of a new comer but to a large extent people relive their childhood through the moments spent with the innocent one. Not everyone is naturally blessed with the ability to conceive a child without any efforts. Infertile couple takes a little more time in realizing their dream of having a child. There are numerous ways through which infertility could be corrected but in order to go about these means it is important to understand the basic concepts of infertility. In simple words infertility is the condition due to which a couple is unable to produce an offspring. There are two types of infertility primary and secondary. Secondary level infertility is when the couple is unable to produce a offspring for a second time. Primary infertility is more dangerous than the secondary as these couple have lesser chance of getting conceived when compared with the latter.
Though the options of treatments available are plenty, it is better not to opt for aggressive methods as it may cause adverse side effects. In some cases modification of lifestyle could bring about desirable changes.
Staying fit. Extreme magnitude of weight on both sides (over or under weight) could cause hormonal changes that could lead to infertility. Hence it is advisable to stay fit and keep the hormonal secretion in a balanced state both for proper ovulation and production of healthy sperms.
Say no to addiction. Intake of alcohol and use of Micatin as well cause infertility. So these habits must be put to a end if one wants to shift from infertility to fertility. Make these changes, lead a stress free life and you would be surprised to the changes.
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Written on February 21, 2008 by Gordon
If you’re facing infertility problem then it is high time you consult an infertility specialist to investigate into the problem and assess various treatment options such as infertility drugs and IVF. A specialist would also help in determining the entire cost of the treatment so that one could be prepared.
A woman can consider consulting an infertility specialist if she is under 35 years of age and has failed to conceive a child for a period of one year or if she is over 35 years of age and has failed to get pregnant after trying for a period of 6 months.
Choosing a right specialist solves half the problem. One can either ask a doctor for a reference or seek the advice of friends and relatives. One can also make a list of famous fertility specialists in one’s locality and zero in on the best available option.
The factors to be considered before consulting a specialist are his or her background, educational qualification and experience. Also it is important to know whether the clinic has modern amenities that would help in the treatment. The proximity of the specialist’s place to one’s work place and home is of prime significance. Finally the cost of treatment should be known in order to decide whether it is affordable.
It is also good to check if your heath insurance covers for the treatment of infertility. There are numerous help lines to give suggestions in this regard. .
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Written on February 21, 2008 by Gordon
Making a decision about infertility is a critical and choosing a proper clinic is even more critical as all our happiness is based on the proficiency of the treatment that you are going to undertake. If you are opting for a treatment that involves various procedures that need to be carefully carried out by your physician then you must consider the following factors before deciding about your clinic. ¡E Reputation matters: The success rate of the clinic is one of the important factor that one nees to consider without your trust completely placed on the clinic , any treatment would not be fruitftl. Also it is good to seek a reputed clinic to assure your hard earned dollars do not go waste. ¡E Treatment options: Prior to starting your basic treatment procedures, it is important to confirm if the clinic provide advanced treatment procedures, If in case it is necessary in the future. Treatment options vary from one clinic to the other hence it is best to have a knowledge in this regard. ¡E Price: Choosing a clinic that suits your budget is a wise decision. In case you are in need of financial assistance, there are always various programs to help you but you need to check with the clinic regarding payment details. ¡E Location: The location of the clini should be easily accessible for both from your home and work place as you would need to make regular visits one the treatment begins. Even if you have to choose the worlds best clinic, an inconvenient location may lead to lot of stress. ¡E Staff: Checking about the staff of the clinic may seem to to you as a far fetched thought but it is an important factor to be considered as everything depends on the efficiency of the staff members. If the clinic shows record of high turn over of staffs it could prove as aproblem. You might as well opt for a clinic that boast of staffs that are consistent.
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Written on February 21, 2008 by Gordon
Clomid is an oral drug prescribed to women as a method of treatment for infertility. It is popularly known as Clomiphene Citrate. Also it is commercially manufactured under various names that include Serophene. The drug is said to quite effective against irregular menstrual cycle, anovulation and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The drug regulates secretion of four hormones, GnRH, FSH, estradiol and LH. It is believed that the drug convinces the brain of low estrogen levels in the body which in turn causes the secretion of the above said hormones. These hormones effectively contribute in the process of ovulation and produce mature eggs or ova.
Usually Clomid is taken by women 5 days earlier to the commencement of menstrual cycle. The first day of bleeding should be taken as the first day of the cycle. Depending upon the body conditions the drug is prescribed either 3 or 5 days in advance to the starting of the cycle.
Once ovulation begins, pregnancy is said to occur within 6th cycle of the treatment. Although 75 percent of women taking the drug begin to ovulate successfully, only 50 percent among the ovulating women get conceived. There are numerous side effects caused by Clomid. If not taken according to the advice of a doctor, these side effects could lead to devastating results. This why the drug should not be taken over the counter. Also it is of prime significance to adhere to the rules set by one’s physician while taking Clomid.
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Written on February 21, 2008 by Gordon
With the advent of new techniques and findings in the field of medicine, almost any defect could be solved without much effort and infertility is no exception. Infertility in women is mainly caused due to problems that interfere with the process of ovulation.
Ovulation is a process that produces mature eggs for the sperms to come into contact with and develop into a zygote. Every month each ovary of a woman produces a single egg. The sperm has to come into contact with this egg before it disintegrates. There are various hormones in a woman’s body that contribute effectively to the production of eggs. In some women hormonal imbalance causes infertility. Hence drugs are prescribed by physicians to correct this problem and enable the ovaries to produce well developed eggs. Clomid is a common drug that is said to be effective against anovulation. Other drugs that are prescribed are GnRH, bromocriptine and nolvadex. Gonadotropins might be administered in the form of an injection.
Other methods of treatments include surgery such as tubal ligation reversal. This is done to remove any block in the fallopian tube. In some cases assisted reproductive technology also have been of use. This includes artificial insemination.
These are the methods that are followed to make women fertile. In men if they are facing any infection or a problem of sexually transmitted disease, it is treated to cause fertility. Also surgeries are done if necessary.
Infertility should not be pursued as a matter of shame. It is like any other disease only a medical condition that could be treated easily. For the treatment to be effective, the patient’s trust and co operation is a must.
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