Frequently Asked Questions
About Infertility Part 2
Infertility brings with it a
multitude of questions for those who are infertile and also for
those who have family members who are suffering with the
problem of infertility and wish to gain information to help
their loved ones. Let's take a look at some frequently asked
questions concerning the unfortunate problem of
infertility.
What are the most common reasons for male
infertility?
The two most common reasons for male infertility are
azoospermia (which is a condition where there are no sperm
cells produced at all) and oligospermia (which is when
there are only a minimum of sperm cells produced). In some
instances, sperm cells do not form properly or else they die
before they are able to reach an egg and fertilize it. There
are rare cases where a genetic disease such as cystic fibrosis
or a chromosomal abnormality is to blame for male
infertility.
What are the most common reasons for female
infertility?
The most common cause of female infertility is a disorder
related to ovulation. Another common cause of female
infertility is blocked fallopian tubes, which can take place
due to endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Repeated miscarriages are often linked to birth defects (or
congenital anomalies), which can involve problems with the
structure or makeup of the uterus and/or uterine fibroids. Age
also plays a role in a woman's ability to conceive. The ovaries
decline in their ability to produce eggs as a woman advances in
years, and this is most readily seen after the age of
35.
What is ART?
Assisted Reproductive
Technologies (ART) is a term that is used to describe a number
of different methods that are used to help infertile couples
have a baby. ART is a complex process where eggs are surgically
removed from a woman's body and then are mixed with sperm in a
laboratory. After a set period of time if fertilization has
taken place the embryos are then implanted back into a woman's
uterus.
More Infertility Info
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine estimates that 6.1 million individuals residing in the United States are infertile. As stated above, one third of the time it is due to a male factor, the other third of the time it is a female factor, the problem co-existing between the man and the woman accounts for the problem 15 percent of the time while there are still other instances where the cases of infertility is mysterious and unexplained. This is known as primary infertility.
There is also such a thing as secondary infertility cause of infertility and this is when a woman has a difficult time conceiving a child after she has already had a child in the past or previous children with little if any complications at all. Sometimes this is attributed to a medical condition such as a hormonal problem but it could also be a problem that is connected with age or else as the result of mental stress and strain to make sure that the first child has a brother or sister. If the woman has changed partners and is now having a problem getting pregnant this is not attributed to secondary infertility.
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When is in vitro fertilization
undertaken?
In the case where a woman has blocked
fallopian tubes or one of the fallopian tubes is missing all
together, in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is a form of ART,
is sometimes undertaken. This is also often the method that is
considered if a man has a low sperm count. In vitro
fertilization offers the hope of conceiving a child to couples
who would otherwise have little if any chance of having their
own biological offspring. In vitro fertilization (IVF) has
proven to be the most effective form of assisted reproductive
technologies. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is when an egg is
fertilized outside of a woman's body in a laboratory.
What are some medications that are used to treat
infertility in a woman?
There are some common
medicines that are used to treat infertility in women. These
medicines include clomiphene citrate, human menopausal
gonadotropin (or hMG), follicle-stimulating hormone (or FSH),
gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog, metformin and
bromocriptine.
Where can more information on infertility be
obtained?
For more infertility contact the National Women's Health
Information Center (NWHIC), the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
(ACOG) Resource Center, the American Society for Reproductive
Medicine, Resolve: The National Infertility Association and the
International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination,
Inc. Current Infertility News
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