Reports indicate that 12% of females between the ages of fifteen and forty-four cannot get pregnant within a year of trying to conceive. Those who do are sometimes unable to carry the pregnancy to term. The report indicated that most women have difficulty getting pregnant because of underlying medical conditions that contribute to female infertility. Are you trying to get pregnant but have been unable to do so after trying several times?
This article discusses some health issues that could affect your fertility. Furthermore, it discusses how to deal with the pain that some of these conditions come with.
Endometriosis
Each month, a female of childbearing age undergoes uterine lining thickening and shedding, leading to menstruation. However, in some women, the thickening of this uterine tissue happens outside the uterus (womb), known as endometriosis. To this day, the medical world is yet to discover the cause of this condition.
However, a possible reason that has been propagated for years is the backward flow of menstrual blood and tissue during menses. Medical researchers believe that for some reason, instead of menstrual blood flowing forward and out, there is a reversal. Therefore, over time, it can lead to the condition.
Endometriosis is a common condition in the United States, and according to the women’s health website, over 6 million women live with this condition. Although endometriosis is a lifelong health condition (as long as you’re still menstruating), some medical interventions can help you deal with the associated pain. Usually, a physician would prescribe analgesics to deal with the pain. Other circumstances would require surgery, but research says more sufferers are turning to alternative medicine.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a health condition that causes your body not to produce enough hormones. Apart from extreme fatigue and excessive weight gain, hypothyroidism is known to interfere with normal ovarian function. In ideal situations, the brain sends the signal to the ovaries to release an egg (or more) during ovulation. With hypothyroidism, however, the absence of enough hormones causes a break in the signal. Thankfully, a synthetically produced thyroid hormone (taken as oral medication) can fix this problem.
Uterine fibroids
These are benign tumors that tend to grow in the uterine cavity of women in their childbearing years. More so, medical research has revealed that one-third of women between the ages of eighteen and forty-four have them. Once again, for reasons unknown to science, uterine fibroids are more common in females of African descent. Fibroids usually do not hinder conception, but some can be particularly problematic. An example is a subtype described as submucosal fibroids.
Submucosal uterine fibroids grow within the uterine lining. Due to its positioning, it becomes difficult for a fertilized egg (blastocyst) to implant in the womb. In other words, the submucosal fibroid changes the normal texture and consistency of the uterus. It explains why implantation is a topical issue with this type of fibroid. Furthermore, depending on the size of your fibroid, it can cause intense pressure, pain (in the lower back or abdomen), and heavy menses. Sometimes, women with fibroids experience intermittent bleeding, which has nothing to do with the menstrual cycle.
A combination of all these signs and symptoms usually would inform the attending physician what line of action to take. For instance, specific medications can be prescribed to shrink the tumor and to stop heavy bleeding. Only in extreme situations (such as to improve chances of conception) is surgery carried out.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
This is a hormonal imbalance that interrupts your body’s natural way of releasing eggs (ovulation). Because PCOS has a direct impact on ovulation, the chances of increased infertility are higher than usual. Moreover, because PCOS patients have higher than normal androgens (male hormones) in their bodies, it leads to facial hair growth, severe acne, and irregular menstrual cycles. A woman with a severe PCOS case can go an entire year with only one menstruation episode.
Fortunately, medications such as Letrozole stimulate a PCOS patient to ovulate, increasing the likelihood of conception. However, other women may require in vitro fertilization to aid pregnancy. In addition, untreated PCOS can lead to insulin resistance and cardiac problems later in life. Therefore, if you have irregular cycles coupled with facial hair, you must seek an Ob/Gyn to be clinically diagnosed.
Indeed, infertility can be depressing and quite costly to treat. However, no matter what you’re dealing with in that regard, it is worth knowing that science is constantly improving to resolve infertility.
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