What are the causes of infertility in women?
It is diagnosed when a woman tries to become pregnant for a year without success
Infertility is the inability to conceive despite having frequent and unprotected sex.
Infertility can be:
Primary infertility
When a woman has never been able to get pregnant despite having had unprotected sex for a period of 1 year.
Secondary infertility
When a woman is not able to get pregnant for the period of 2 years or more after having managed to become pregnant once (regardless of whether the pregnancy has resulted in the birth of a live child or miscarriage).
What are the main causes of infertility in women?
The most common causes of infertility in women are:
• Endometriosis
Endometriosis occurs as a result of the growth of uterine cells outside the uterus.
• Ovulation problems
The most common cause of infertility in women are ovulation problems. These problems include the existence of anovulatory cycles (without ovulation), irregular ovulations or poor quality of oocytes (due to chromosomal and / or genetic defects).
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome
The existence of ovarian cysts causes an excess in the production of androgens, which in addition to infertility causes other problems such as hirsutism, baldness or weight gain.
• Tubal factors
Pelvic infections (for example, sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea) or a history of pelvic surgery (for example as a result of an ectopic pregnancy) are associated with the appearance of scarring of fallopian tubes. These scars considerably reduces the chances of healthy conception.
• Other factors
Certain hormonal problems and autoimmune conditions are also associated with difficulties in ovulation, fertilization, implantation and zygote development.
What are the treatments for infertility in women?
• Correction of metabolic problems
Certain hormonal problems, such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, uncontrolled diabetes, Cushing’s syndrome, uncontrolled hypertension and other similar problems, affect a woman’s ability to conceive.
In most cases, the correction of these problems allows reestablishing the ability of the woman to conceive without any other treatment being necessary.
• Hormone replacement
Some hormonal disorders such as polycystic ovary, progesterone insufficiency syndrome, premature ovarian insufficiency require the replacement of the deficient hormone to allow a correct ovulation, and therefore to correct infertility problems.
• Surgical methods
There are certain conditions, such as obstruction of fallopian tubes or endometriosis, which may require surgical intervention.
If despite all the attempts the desired results are not achieved, there are treatments with which the woman can get pregnant:
Assisted reproduction techniques
The cost of these therapies is usually high, but the results are promising, especially if the mother is in good health. These techniques include:
Artificial insemination
Especially indicated for women with ovulation problems, alterations in the cervix, …
In vitro fertilization
Recommended for the case of problems in the fallopian tubes, endometriosis
