8-cell human embryo, day 3 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Infertility Treatments come in many different forms as infertility has very many causes in men and women. In this article we look at the major forms of treatment for infertility.
Getting good quality Infertility Information is key to understanding the problem and giving you the tools to make educated decisions to overcome infertility. Indeed the key to getting the right infertility treatment must follow the correct diagnosis of the source of the problem. Is the problem with the man or the woman or both? Is there a hormonal imbalance in the man or woman? Have there been indications of gynecological problems? The very first step cannot be to randomly try different treatments – the treatment must follow a logical analysis by a doctor of the likely cause of the problem. Of course there are some self help treatments you can try for yourself without a doctor and even if they do not get the result of overcoming the infertility problem directly, they can only help you going forward if you need more high tech treatments like IVF for example. Here I’m talking about attending to such basic things as diet, nutrition, weight and physical fitness and nurturing a calm state of mind by relaxation study. Acupuncture has also shown good results for many people. Finding an Acupuncturist in your area that specializes in infertility is important if you want to try this route. Its also important to realize that the transformation from an unhealthy nutritional diet to healthy nutrition can be done quite quickly, but the transformation in your body to a more healthy state can take some time. Patience is also important.
Sometimes a quick diagnosis can be made of say, a hormonal disorder that is causing the infertility and a drug treatment protocol can be established that quickly corrects the problem and in these cases the drug is like a magic bullet. In general though, magic bullets are not the norm in curing fertility problems.
Becoming pregnant and having a baby is one of most basic and fundamental desires for couples. Unfortunately, infertility is a growing problem in the world. As many as 1 in 6 are currently experiencing difficulty with fertility. As you see, you are certainly not alone. Seeking Infertility treatments by researching the Internet, reading books, self help steps such as working for a healthier diet and lifestyle and if needed getting specialist help from infertility doctors are all things you can undertake to find a cure for your problems. In this website you will find a great many educational articles that touch on the many different causes of infertility to help you understand and conquer the problem.
Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after a year of regular sexual intercourse or to carry your pregnancy to full term. Although this medical definition defines the condition of infertility after a year, this does NOT necessarily mean you are infertile. In fact most women will get pregnant within 3 years. Choosing a healthier lifestyle is a self help step that can make all the difference to your natural fertility and can tip the balance. Of course there are many specific infertility causes that will definitely not respond to any amount of healthy wholesome living and that is when the well defined treatment protocols for your specific type of infertility can be initiated in conjunction with specialist infertility clinics.
Infertility problems in men and women can arise for many reasons. There are many different causes of infertility. According to recent studies, the infertility causation statistical breakdown are; 32% female, 32% male, 17% combined and 19% infertility of unknown causes. Ovulation problems, tubal blockage, uterine problems, STD (sexually transmitted diseases) like chlamydia, previous tubal ligation, PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease), endometriosis and uterine disorders can all contribute to a woman to being infertile. PID is a major cause of infertility on its own and is usually easily treated with antibiotics but the inflammation can cause damage hence the need to jump on a pelvic inflammation straight away before this damage can result.
A woman’s age is a major factor in her fertility. There is a natural decline in a woman’s ability to conceive as she ages. Conditions like PCOS – polycystic ovarian syndrome – is estimated to be the reason for as much as 75% of ovulation problems.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is a severe pelvic inflammation that occurs when vaginal and cervical infections spread to the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries or surrounding tissue. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two common causes of PID. Scarring can occur caused by the infection or by the results of a woman’s body’s antibody attack on the infection. This can damage the cilia – the small hairs in fallopian tubes that transport the egg. After treatment for PID, if there is long term structural damage, pregnancy can often accomplished by IVF (in-vitro fertilisation). Prior to the development of IVF there was no hope for women that had had their reproductive organs damaged by PID. Great strides have been made in fertility science and medicine to help many couples that 30 years ago would have not been able to attain the dream of having a family.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a factor in as much as 75% of women’s infertility. There are plenty of healthy eggs in the ovaries but due to a hormonal disorder the eggs do not get released on a regular basis. Empty egg follicles form on the ovaries and these are known as cysts. The empty follicles build up hence this is where the name comes from. Many factors can contribute to PCOS. Insulin is a hormone that is higher in women with PCOS and it is thought that this stimulates the ovaries to produce more testosterone which interferes with the normal formation of the follicles. 40 % of women have a raised LH (Luteinising Hormone) which is also thought to increase testosterone and also interfere with egg development. PCOS often runs in families so there can be a genetic predisposition to get PCOS via a woman’s genes. Being over-weight can also affect insulin levels and this can cause the problem or contribute with other factors.
Classic signs of PCOS are irregular or absent periods, overgrowth of facial hair, hair loss on scalp, acne, overweight and being infertile. PCOS can also be associated with recurrent miscarriage, mood swings, bloating, dizziness, depression, pelvic pains and breast pains. Metformin and Clomid are two drugs that are often used in the treatment of PCOS. They work in completely different ways and many women have had good success with these drugs.
Ultrasound scans of the ovaries to look for abnormal size and presence of cysts and blood tests to check the levels of hormones are typical tests that a physician will want to run if PCOS is suspected.
Ovulation test kits often do not work for women with PCOS as they record the high level of LH as prediction of ovulation which may not be the case. Stimulating ovulation with drugs can and does work for many women.
Hormone levels are very significant to normal fertility. Any disorders which affect the normal hormone production can severely disrupt fertility. The ovaries, pituitary, adrenal, hypothalamus, pancreas, testes in men and thyroid glands are all significant players in the process of normal fertility.
There are many medical reasons for infertility, but lifestyle can play a very big contribution in causing infertility. Smoking, alcohol, drug use, weight issues (overweight or underweight), sexually transmitted diseases, stress, too little exercise or too rigorous exercise are all factors which we can have significant control and may offer a way for the individual to significantly enhance their chances of becoming pregnant. If you are serious about getting pregnant you need to work hard yourself sometimes to kick bad habits.
Trying to become pregnant can be very stressful especially as time goes by. Unexplained infertility is a diagnosis in a significant number of cases. Taking care of lifestyle changes you can affect and reducing stress is very important self help. Also learning about your own body and particularly accurately gauging when the woman is ovulating is also a very important tool to have in your armory of self help strategies.
Having covered in brief the many causes of infertility you will find many more articles about particular types of infertility throughout our website. We look in more detail at specific drug, lifestyle, alternative infertility treatments on the respective pages of the site.
Whilst many treatments are considered perfectly safe, it must be remembered that many treatments also carry with them risks and it is important to weight the risk vs benefits of treatment. Cost is another big issue with some of the most complex high technology treatments costing many thousands of dollars. Financial stresses are yet another hurdle to surmount for many couples that need the very high-tech end of the infertility medical protocols.
