Are you having trouble getting pregnant? You’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6.7% of married women between 15 to 44 years of age in the United States are infertile, which means that women 35 or older have difficulty getting pregnant after one year or six months of trying. A lot of couples who try to conceive get frustrated and upset about how hard it can be to get pregnant.
Getting pregnant and carrying a pregnancy to term is actually a very complicated process, and many things can go wrong during these stages that may lead to infertility if not properly taken care of. For this reason, we’re going to give you a list of top causes of infertility in women. Always remember if you have difficulty getting pregnant and carrying a pregnancy make sure to consult a gynaecologist about possible treatment options.
Ovulation Problems
Ovulation issues can occur because of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) this condition interferes with normal ovulation and also Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) a condition when your ovaries stop working properly before the age of 40, affecting your release of eggs and chances of getting pregnant. Lastly, conditions like Hyperprolactinemia and thyroid disorders may also a cause of ovulation problems because it affects your menstrual cycle and interferes with your ovulation, but don’t worry this condition can be easily treated so it’s best to seek a diagnosis.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age, which can interfere with normal ovulation. Women with this condition can have infrequent or prolonged menstrual cycles or excess male (androgen) levels.
- Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) – also called premature ovarian failure, occurs when the ovaries cease to function normally before the age of 40. When this happens, your ovaries don’t produce the usual amounts of the hormone estrogen or release eggs regularly. Most of the time, this condition often leads to infertility.
Older Age
According to the Office of Women’s Health, many women are waiting until their 30s and 40s to have kids. As a result, one-third of couples with women over the age of 30 are experiencing fertility problems. You should know that time and biology are on your side during your 20s, according to experts that are a woman’s peak reproductive years during her early 20s, at this age, you have the highest number of quality eggs.
Women become less fertile as they age because they begin life with a fixed number of eggs in their ovaries. The number of eggs decreases as women get older. Also, the remaining eggs are more likely to develop abnormal chromosomes in older women. As age increases, women have a higher risk for fertility-related disorders, such as uterine fibroids and endometriosis.
Endometriosis
It occurs when endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus, which may affect the function of the ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes. That causes irritation and scar tissue development. Some women with endometriosis have no symptoms, while others have painful intercourse or periods, excessive bleeding or unusual spotting, and general pelvic pain. Endometriosis makes it difficult to get pregnant because the condition can cause blocked fallopian tubes, disrupt implantation, inflammation of the pelvis, and possibly affect egg quality. Endometriosis treatment varies. Surgical removing of scar tissue or opening a blocked fallopian tube can improve your chances of getting pregnant.
Unhealthy Body Weight
Having an inactive lifestyle and being overweight or obese may increase your risk of infertility and risk of having a miscarriage. Also, if you have an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia, you should maintain a very low-calorie or restrictive diet, you’re at risk for fertility problems. Fortunately, you may lose or gain weight and may be able to conceive once you have a healthy body weight. According to the study, obese women can ovulate normally after losing as little as 5% of their body weight.
Uterine Abnormalities
Fibroids may interfere with the implantation of the fertilized egg. Fibroids are usually noncancerous (benign) tumors in the uterine wall (uterine fibroid) and collagen that can develop within the wall of the uterus. This condition may be associated with reproductive problems depending on their number, sizes, and specific location in your uterus. If they are near the endometrial lining, it may cause heavy periods and difficulties with embryo implantation or pregnancy complications. Fibroids are not located in the lining of the uterus so you don’t get an impact in your pregnancy or cause a high-risk pregnancy but may result in a higher risk of miscarriage or infertility.
Most healthy couples between the ages of 35 and above who are trying to conceive and have unprotected sex every other day around the time of ovulation can become pregnant in a year. If you’re not getting pregnant as easily as you expected it to be, try contacting your gynaecologist and recommend also your husband do the same, because the problem could be his.
