The processes involved in becoming pregnant and carrying a pregnancy to term are exceedingly challenging. These procedures have a lot of potential for error, which might result in infertility. Age, hormone issues, physical issues, and lifestyle factors can all contribute to female infertility.
It is not easy to identify the causes of female infertility. There are many therapies available depending on the cause of infertility. You can book a consultation with a specialist in Global Hospital Chennai to treat infertility in females.
It’s normal to question why you’re having trouble getting pregnant if you’re having trouble conceiving. We have listed some most common causes of infertility in females for you.
Nine most common causes of infertility in females
- Lack of Ovulation
Failure to ovulate, which affects 40% of women with infertility problems, is the most typical overall cause of female infertility. Numerous factors can prevent ovulation, including:
- Gynecological or ovarian disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) (PCOS).
- Getting older includes having a “diminished ovarian reserve” or fewer eggs in a woman’s ovaries due to natural aging.
- Endocrine disorders impact how much or how little of a hormone or collection of hormones the body produces. Examples include thyroid disease and issues with the hypothalamus.
- Environmental and lifestyle influences.
- Endometriosis
Endometriosis develops when the endometrium, the cells that usually line the uterine cavity, are discovered elsewhere. Endometriosis and infertility have been linked in multiple studies by researchers. Endometriosis can cause infertility in several ways, such as,
- Endometriosis results when tissue usually develops in the uterus implants and expands in other areas. This additional tissue growth — and the surgical removal of it — can induce scarring, which can block fallopian tubes and prohibit an egg and sperm from joining.
- Endometriosis can also prevent a fertilized egg from implanting properly. The illness also appears to harm sperm or eggs, which would have a less pronounced impact on fertility.
- Issues with the reproductive system’s structure
The presence of aberrant tissue in the uterus or fallopian tubes is a common symptom of structural issues.
If the fallopian tubes are obstructed, sperm cannot reach the egg for fertilization, and eggs cannot travel from the ovaries to the uterus. Infertility can also result from uterine structural issues, such as those that could prevent implantation.
- Polyps, benign growths on the uterus’ internal surface, are one example of a structural issue that can lead to infertility. Polyps can disrupt the uterus’ operation and make it challenging for a woman to carry a pregnancy to term. Surgical removal of polys can improve a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant.
- Scarring in the uterus results from prior wounds, infections, or operations. Scarring can hinder implantation and increase the risk of miscarriage, resulting in infertility.
- A uterus with an odd form, which may hinder implantation and the capacity to carry a baby to term
- Primary Ovary Insufficiency (POI)
When a woman has POI, her ovaries stop producing hormones and eggs prematurely. Due to issues with their ovaries, women with POI infrequently ovulate, if at all, and may have abnormal amounts of ovarian and pituitary hormones.
POI patients frequently struggle to conceive. Pregnancy is still conceivable, albeit infrequently.
- Infections
Infections can bring on both male and female infertility. Women with untreated gonorrhea and chlamydia may develop a pelvic inflammatory disease, resulting in fallopian tube obstruction due to scarring. If you have syphilis left untreated, it can make a pregnant woman more prone to stillbirth.
Cervical chronic infections and surgical removal of lesions brought on by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can also lessen the quantity or caliber of cervical mucus. Women who have issues with this slick or sticky substance that builds up in the vagina and on the cervix may find it challenging to conceive.
- Difficulties with egg quantity and quality
All of a woman’s eggs are present when she is born, although this supply may “run out” before menopause. Also, some eggs will have incorrect chromosomes, preventing them from fertilizing or developing into healthy fetuses. The eggs may be affected by chromosomal issues, like “balanced translocation.” Others are arbitrary but increase in frequency as a woman ages.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
One of the most commonly observed factors in female infertility is PCOS. A woman’s ovaries and, occasionally, adrenal glands create more androgens (a type of hormone) than the usual amount if she has PCOS.
High concentrations of these hormones stop the growth of ovarian follicles and egg release during ovulation. As a result, cysts—fluid-filled sacs—can form inside the ovaries.
- Uterine fibroids
Non-cancerous growths called uterine fibroids to develop inside the uterus. Depending on their location and size, uterine fibroids may occasionally produce symptoms.
The likelihood of a fibroid negatively affecting fertility increases if it is in the uterine cavity (as opposed to growing inside the uterine wall) or is greater than 6 cm in diameter. A woman’s fertility is more likely to be impacted by fibroids if:
- Change the cervix’s position to lessen the amount of sperm that enters the uterus.
- Alter the uterus’s shape, which could obstruct sperm migration or implantation.
- Block the fallopian tubes to stop sperm from accessing the egg and an egg that has been fertilized from transiting to the uterus.
- Interfere with uterine blood flow, which may stop the embryo from implanting.
- Implant Withdrawal
Failure to implant an egg in the uterine wall to start a pregnancy is known as an implantation failure. Although the precise reason for implantation failure is frequently unknown, several potential causes include:
- Genetic defects in the embryo
- Thin endometrium
- Embryonic defects
- Endometriosis
- Progesterone resistance
- Scar tissue in the endometrial cavity
Conclusion-
It can be stressful to be infertile. You can contact a specialist at Global Hospital Chennai via the Credihealth website if you have been attempting to conceive for 12 months without success or six months if you are over 35. Your doctor can assist you in creating a plan after diagnosing you. The main thing is to stay strong mentally and not give up. Keeping your morals up can help you through this challenging journey.