Unfortunately there are thousands of couples who suffer from infertility problems and have trouble getting pregnant.
Perhaps you are struggling with infertility yourself.
For those who have always wanted a child of their own, infertility is an emotionally charged issue that can often take couples by surprise.
Many factors can play a role in causing infertility, including the age of the mother, sperm disorders or ovulation problems.
Ironically, infertility causes stress, which can worsen the condition.
One way to reduce stress is to arm yourself with accurate information.
In a situation where couples often feel powerless, it helps to take control of your infertility and - together with your doctor and partner as your team - decide the best plan of action.
What exactly is infertility? Infertility is clinically defined as the inability to biologically conceive after one year of regular intercourse or the inability to carry a pregnancy to term.
More than half of the causes of infertility seem to be attributed to female conditions such as ovulation problems, tubal blockage, a previous tubal ligation or uterine issues.
Your doctor may be able to help you rule out what may be causing your infertility by asking questions about your menstrual cycle and ovulation patterns.
Ovulation is the process by which women release eggs to be fertilized each month.
As women get older, the ability to have a baby naturally decrease with about 1,000 eggs lost each month.
Therefore, the age of the mother can be a contributing factor in a couple's infertility.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, or PID, can cause fallopian tube blockage that can lead to infertility.
PID is caused by infections in the vagina or cervix like Chlamydia or gonorrhea that have gone untreated, causing bacteria to travel through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and surrounding tissues.
The scarring that results can obstruct the fallopian tubes and prevent normal function.
IVF, or in vitro fertilization, can be a good option for a woman with PID who has not been able to get pregnant.
Hormone levels can be another culprit in causing infertility and should be examined if a couple has not been able to conceive.
Produced by the hypothalamus, pancreas, ovaries, testes and the pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands, hormones are an important piece of the infertility puzzle.
A hormonal condition that can disrupt a woman's normal ovulation cycle is called polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS.
PCOS can cause irregular ovulation or disrupt it completely.
A hormonal disorder, PCOS can be treated with medication such as Metformin, which can help the body better absorb insulin, correct hormone levels, and decrease the symptoms of PCOS such as irregular ovulation.
Lifestyle changes may aid in curing infertility.
Being overweight, smoking, alcohol or drug abuse, over-exercising or sexually transmitted diseases in the man or woman can cause infertility, as can stress.
Sometimes physicians are unable to pinpoint an exact cause of infertility.
Many times the couple just needs to relax and empower themselves with as much information about infertility as they can.
Patience - and getting a clear idea of when the woman is ovulating is also helpful to make a couple's goal of a family come true.
Perhaps you are struggling with infertility yourself.
For those who have always wanted a child of their own, infertility is an emotionally charged issue that can often take couples by surprise.
Many factors can play a role in causing infertility, including the age of the mother, sperm disorders or ovulation problems.
Ironically, infertility causes stress, which can worsen the condition.
One way to reduce stress is to arm yourself with accurate information.
In a situation where couples often feel powerless, it helps to take control of your infertility and - together with your doctor and partner as your team - decide the best plan of action.
What exactly is infertility? Infertility is clinically defined as the inability to biologically conceive after one year of regular intercourse or the inability to carry a pregnancy to term.
More than half of the causes of infertility seem to be attributed to female conditions such as ovulation problems, tubal blockage, a previous tubal ligation or uterine issues.
Your doctor may be able to help you rule out what may be causing your infertility by asking questions about your menstrual cycle and ovulation patterns.
Ovulation is the process by which women release eggs to be fertilized each month.
As women get older, the ability to have a baby naturally decrease with about 1,000 eggs lost each month.
Therefore, the age of the mother can be a contributing factor in a couple's infertility.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, or PID, can cause fallopian tube blockage that can lead to infertility.
PID is caused by infections in the vagina or cervix like Chlamydia or gonorrhea that have gone untreated, causing bacteria to travel through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and surrounding tissues.
The scarring that results can obstruct the fallopian tubes and prevent normal function.
IVF, or in vitro fertilization, can be a good option for a woman with PID who has not been able to get pregnant.
Hormone levels can be another culprit in causing infertility and should be examined if a couple has not been able to conceive.
Produced by the hypothalamus, pancreas, ovaries, testes and the pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands, hormones are an important piece of the infertility puzzle.
A hormonal condition that can disrupt a woman's normal ovulation cycle is called polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS.
PCOS can cause irregular ovulation or disrupt it completely.
A hormonal disorder, PCOS can be treated with medication such as Metformin, which can help the body better absorb insulin, correct hormone levels, and decrease the symptoms of PCOS such as irregular ovulation.
Lifestyle changes may aid in curing infertility.
Being overweight, smoking, alcohol or drug abuse, over-exercising or sexually transmitted diseases in the man or woman can cause infertility, as can stress.
Sometimes physicians are unable to pinpoint an exact cause of infertility.
Many times the couple just needs to relax and empower themselves with as much information about infertility as they can.
Patience - and getting a clear idea of when the woman is ovulating is also helpful to make a couple's goal of a family come true.
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