Infertility in Women: Causes and Solutions

Infertility treatment options exist for all manner of female fertility issues. Many factors play a role in whether a woman becomes pregnant or not. Most doctors agree that if a woman is unable to become pregnant after trying consistently for one year – or for six months if the woman is over 35 – she may be infertile and should seek medical advice. Many women begin their quest for answers unaware of what might be causing their problems. Female infertility is typically explainable by some underlying medical condition or by a lifestyle habit. Most cases are rooted in a problem with ovulation – if a woman is not ovulating normally, fertilization of an egg will be impossible. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS, is a common cause of ovulation problems. This condition is characterized by cysts on the ovaries, causing a hormonal imbalance and difficulty ovulating or becoming pregnant in the long term. Premature ovarian aging is another common cause of infertility – many women find themselves unable to produce sufficient eggs even if they are not old enough to go through menopause. Another medical condition commonly responsible for infertility is pelvic inflammatory disease. Usually caused by advanced and untreated cases of the sexually transmitted disease Chlamydia, PID causes scarring of the fallopian tubes and interferes with successful fertilization. Endometriosis, a condition in which endometrial lining grows outside of the uterus, can also be harmful for reproduction and usually carries with it a hormonal imbalance. Though non-cancerous, uterine fibroids growing on the walls of the uterus can also interfere with pregnancy. Lifestyle choices can also be responsible for female infertility. Women who smoke are considerable more likely to have trouble getting pregnant, as are women who drink excessively or have a poor diet. Being overweight, underweight, or having a harsh athletic training schedule can interfere with estrogen production and cause a woman’s menstrual cycles to stop. Stress is also known to interfere with fertility. One of the most common factors in infertility is age. Many women simply will not be able to get pregnant after their late thirties – however, they still have a number of infertility treatment options if they wish to have children. In the area infertility New York clinic Center for Human Reproduction provides IVF, donor services, DHEA supplementation, fertility preservation, testing, and other services. While many women will have difficulty becoming pregnant, it is important to know that options are available and they can still be parents if they choose.