Did you know that infertility affects about 10-15% of couples in the United States? Conception depends on a number of factors, including the production of healthy sperm by the man, healthy eggs produced by the woman, the sperm’s ability to fertilize the egg, the ability of the fertilized egg to become implanted in the woman’s uterus, and other factors. In order for the pregnancy to progress to full term, the embryo must be healthy and the woman’s hormonal environment must be adequate for its development.
Common questions and answers related to Infertility
Did you know that the majority of our patients at NCCRM get pregnant without having to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF)?
There is an assumption that if you go to a fertility clinic, you’ll have to do IVF to achieve pregnancy. Not so, at NCCRM. There are many reasons why a couple is not conceiving. And many treatments can be done to solve various fertility problems in women and men that don’t require IVF. A consultation with our specialists can identify what steps need to be taken to uncover the reasons for infertility in a couple.
What is infertility?
Infertility is typically defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after one year of unprotected intercourse. If you have been trying to conceive for a year or more, you should consider an infertility evaluation. However, suppose you are 35 years or older. In that case, you should begin the infertility evaluation after about six months of unprotected intercourse rather than a year, so as not to delay potentially needed treatment. If you have reason to suspect an underlying problem, seek care earlier.
What are some common problems in women that can result in infertility?
- Anovulation – Anovulation means lack of ovulation, or absent ovulation. Ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovary, must happen to achieve pregnancy. If ovulation is irregular, but not completely absent, this is called oligovulation. Both anovulation and oligovulation are kinds of ovulatory dysfunction. Ovulatory dysfunction is a common cause of female infertility, occurring in approximately 25% of infertile women.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) – Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder that affects 5-10% of women.
- Abnormal Body Weight – Obesity immediately brings to mind associations with hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. Yet, most people are surprised to learn that there is an association between obesity and infertility. Epidemiological data confirm that obesity accounts for 6% of primary infertility, and even more surprisingly, that low body weight in women accounts for 6% of primary infertility. Thus, 12% of primary infertility results from deviations in body weight from established norms, and this infertility can be corrected by restoring body weight to within normal established limits. More than 70% of women who are infertile as a result of body weight disorders will conceive spontaneously if their weight disorder is corrected through a weight-gaining or weight-reduction diet as appropriate.
- Endometriosis – Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, bowel, or the tissue lining your pelvis. Rarely, endometrial tissue may spread beyond your pelvic region.
- Fibroids – Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during your childbearing years. Also called fibromyomas, leiomyomas, or myomas, uterine fibroids aren’t associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and rarely develop into cancer. Fibroids that change the shape of the uterine cavity (submucous) or are within the cavity (intracavitary) decrease fertility by about 70% and removal of these fibroids increases fertility by 70%. Other types of fibroids, those that are within the wall (intramural) but do not change the shape of the cavity, or those that bulge outside the wall (subserosal), do not decrease fertility. Removal of these types of fibroids does not increase fertility.
- Medication Injection Lessons – click here to view videos on how to administer some of the more common fertility medications.
What Causes Infertility in Women?
The most common cause is ovulation disorders, which affect about 25% of all infertility situations. Blocked fallopian tubes, which can occur when a woman has had pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis, is another cause of female infertility. Congenital anomalies, also known as birth defects, involving the structure of the uterus and uterine fibroids that are associated with repeated miscarriages can also cause female infertility. Aging can cause female infertility, especially after 35, since the ability for ovaries to produce eggs declines with age.
When Should A Woman Get Tested For Infertility?
Women under 35 should begin testing after trying to conceive unsuccessfully for a year. Women over 35 should begin testing after 6 months of unsuccessful attempts to conceive.
How Is Infertility Diagnosed?
When visiting with a doctor, the doctor will conduct a physical examination of both partners to determine their general state of health and to search for any physical disorders that may contribute to infertility. The doctor may also speak to both partners about their sexual habits to determine whether intercourse is taking place properly for conception. If no cause is determined, more specific tests may be needed. This may include an analysis of body temperature and ovulation, x-ray of the fallopian tubes and uterus, and laparoscopy for women. For men, semen analysis.
How Is Infertility Treated?
Many infertility cases are treated with drug treatment or surgical repair of reproductive organs. On the other hand, assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF) can also be used. During IVF, eggs are surgically removed from the ovary and mixed with sperm. Fertilized eggs are then placed in the woman’s uterus.
NCCRM
The North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine/Talbert Fertility Institute is the premiere center for reproductive health in North Carolina and the East Coast. Our team specializes in fertility testing, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility conditions. We’re experts in IVF, Tubal Ligation Reversal, Male Infertility, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), Gestation Surrogacy, Family Balancing, and more. Contact us today.
