Infertility Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is Infertility?

Infertility refers to an inability to conceive after having regular unprotected sex.

Infertility can also refer to the biological inability of an individual to contribute to conception, or to a female who cannot carry a pregnancy to full term.

There are many effective treatments for overcoming infertility. These treatments significantly improve the chances of becoming pregnant.

Causes Of Infertility:

The reasons for infertility can involve one or both partners.

Causes of male infertility may include the following:

Abnormal sperm production or function due to various problems, such as:

undescended testicles
genetic defects
health problems
1. including diabetes,
2. prior infections such as mumps
3. trauma
4. Prior surgeries on the testicles or inguinal region

Problems with the delivery of spermdue to sexual problems, such as:
- premature ejaculation,
- semen entering the bladder instead of emerging through the penis during orgasm (retrograde ejaculation),
- certain genetic diseases, such as:
  1. cystic fibrosis,
  2. structural problems, such as:

blockage of the part of the testicle that contains sperm (epididymis),
Damage or injury to the reproductive organs.

Overexposure to certain chemicals and toxins,such as:
pesticides,
radiation,
tobacco smoke,
alcohol,
marijuana,
steroids
Damage related to cancer and its treatment,including:
radiation
Removal of one testicle due to cancer also may affect male fertility.

The following factors increase the risk of developing infertility:

Age
Tobacco use
Alcohol use
Being overweight
Being underweight
Exercise issues

Symptoms Of Infertility:

Infertility symptoms in women include the following:

Abnormal periods. Bleeding is heavier or lighter than usual.
Irregular periods. The number of days in between each period varies each month.
No periods. You have never had a period, or periods suddenly stop.
Painful periods. Back pain, pelvic pain, and cramping may happen.
Skin changes, including more acne
Changes in sex drive and desire
Dark hair growth on the lips, chest, and chin
Loss of hair or thinning hair
Weight gain
Milky white discharge from nipples unrelated to breastfeeding
Pain during sex

Infertility symptoms in men include:

Changes in hair growth
Changes in sexual desire
Pain, lump, or swelling in the testicles
Problems with erections and ejaculation
Small, firm testicles

Diagnosis Of Infertility:

In order to diagnose infertility, the following tests are conducted:

For men:

Semen analysis
Hormone testing
Transrectal and scrotal ultrasound.
Genetic testing
Testicular biopsy
blood or semen tests

For women:

Ovulation testing
Hysterosalpingography
Ovarian reserve testing
Other hormone testing
Imaging tests

Treatment For Infertility:

Treatment of infertility depends upon the underlying cause, age and as to how long one has been infertile.

Possible treatments for men include:

Treating infections.Antibiotic treatment may cure an infection of the reproductive tract, but doesn’t always restore fertility.
Treatments for sexual intercourse problems.Medication or counseling can help improve fertility in conditions such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation.
Hormone treatments and medications
Assisted reproductive technology (ART)

Possible treatments for women include:

Stimulating ovulation with fertility drugs.

Fertility drugs are the main treatment for women who are infertile due to ovulation disorders. These medications regulate or induce ovulation.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI).

During IUI, healthy sperm that have been collected and concentrated are placed directly in the uterus around the time the woman’s ovary releases one or more eggs to be fertilized