Information on Female Infertility

There are many different types of infertility experienced by women. Many of the fertility problems can be easily treated. However, the sooner you get a diagnosis, the better your prognosis will be. In this section, you'll find explanations for numerous female infertility disorders. Many women trying to conceive for the first time panic if their periods continue for even three or four months. But the standard definition of infertility is unsuccessful conception after an entire year of unprotected intercourse.

Infertility is usually defined as not being able to get pregnant despite trying for one year. A broader view of infertility includes not being able to carry a pregnancy to term. Problems with ovulation account for most infertility in women. Signs of problems with ovulation include irregular menstrual periods or no periods. Simple lifestyle factors, including stress, diet, or athletic training can affect a woman's hormonal balance. Follow the links below to find information on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of female infertility.

A basic infertility evaluation includes a history focused on fertility factors, physical examination, and laboratory evaluation. The evaluation should determine if the partner can produce normal semen, if the fallopian tubes are open, and if the ovaries are able to produce eggs that are likely to establish a pregnancy. The three most important laboratory evaluations are a semen analysis, baseline (day 3) FSH to determine the "ovarian reserve," and a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) to insure that the tubes are open.

If getting pregnant has been a challenge for you and your partner, you're not alone. Ten percent to 15 percent of couples in the United States are infertile. Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant despite having frequent, unprotected sex for at least a year.

If you've been trying to conceive for more than a year, there's a chance that something may be interfering with your efforts to have a child. Infertility may be due to a single cause in either you or your partner, or a combination of factors that may prevent a pregnancy from occurring or continuing.

Blockage of the fallopian tubes can be suggested on a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), but it is important to do a laparoscopy to confirm whether this is the case or not. Sometimes inadequate pressure when inserting the dye during a HSG can lead to a suggestion of blockage when one doesn't exist. Laparoscopy also gives the opportunity of taking a close look at the tubes to decide on the usefulness of tubal surgery to open them. The most common cause of blocked tubes is infection, and the most common infection implicated is chlamydia. About 70% of women who have blocked tubes have had a chlamydia infection, though half the time it will have been silent and they will not have even been aware of it.

In the past several years, fertility specialists have made great strides in diagnosing and treating infertility. Surgery and hormone therapy can correct some infertility problems. If those methods fail, doctors now have access to more advanced procedures, collectively known as Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). For many couples, ART is the best chance and last hope for achieving pregnancy. The evaluation and treatment of infertility requires a great deal of time, resources, and energy. It requires the participation of the couple, physicians, nurses, technicians, counselors, and many others.

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If you are having a bit of a difficult time getting pregnant, do not rush to the doctor yet. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cites that most experts tend to use the 12-month time frame as an indicator of being infertile. In other words, you will be considered infertile if you have been trying to get pregnant for 12 months without success. The time frame goes down to 6 months if you are over the age of 35. If you have not reached these time markers and do not wish to seek medical assistance, there are certain things you can do to increase your chance of getting pregnant.

Pregnancy After 40 - The Twelve Month Pregnancy

A typical pregnancy lasts nine months however you should think about a pregnancy lasting twelve months instead. It is a good idea for you to prepare your body mentally and physically for an upcoming pregnancy three months prior to trying to conceive. This is especially true for women over the age of 40 trying to have a baby. During this time, it may be a good idea for you to seek out the advice of a medical professional in order for you to get all of your questions answered and for you get a check up to make sure there is no condition you may have that will negatively affect the pregnancy.

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If you are ready to get pregnant and are over the age of 40, you are most likely to want to get pregnant now! Time is of the essence after the age of 40. Actually, it is closer to the age of 35. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the chances of a woman getting pregnant dramatically decrease after the age of 30 so a woman in this situation will want to make sure she does everything right from the start.

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It does not seem fair when there are many women and couples that do not have any problems getting pregnant. In fact, teenpregnancy.org, a website managed by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, states that there are "750,000 teen pregnancies annually. Eight in ten of these pregnancies are unintended and 81 percent are to unmarried teens." This amounts to a lot of unintended pregnancies and it may be especially disheartening if you have been trying to get pregnant but cannot.

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Hope is not lost if you are told you are infertile. Treatment options do exist for those that would like to seek out methods to get pregnant. For some couples, getting pregnant may seem like it is second nature. But for others, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and assisted reproductive technology (ART) methods may become the only option. However, these two types of couples are not the only ones that exist. The majority of couples lie in between these two categories. Before making a major decision like seeking medical treatment to help get pregnant, you may want to take a look at your lifestyle.

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services consider a woman or couple "infertile" after a year of trying to get pregnant. The year time frame does not apply for women over the age of 35. If you are over the age of 35, you are considered "infertile" after 6 months of trying. Being told you are infertile does not mean you cannot get pregnant. Some couples do get pregnant without any medical assistance after the first year but many other women and/or couples do need assistance and successful pregnancies do occur.