Female Infertility Explained! – Diagnosis and Treatments

Infertility is a complex issue in terms of physical, mental, or social aspects. Women who have unprotected sex at least twice per week can become pregnant within one year. If this fails to happen within this period, the couple is diagnosed with an infertility problem. Ageing reduces a woman's capacity to conceive. As a woman grows older, ovulation (the process of releasing eggs in regular intervals) tends to become low and less effective.

Many underlying factors contribute to infertility. However, it can be challenging to define the exact cause, and some couples are diagnosed with “unexplained” infertility (multiple reasons, often both male and female issues). A couple of the possible causes of female factor infertility can include:

• Age

• Hormone issue that prevents ovulation

• Endometriosis

• Problems with the uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes

• Obesity

• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

• Primary Ovary Insufficiency (POI)

• Excessive substance use (drinking/smoking)

The first stage of diagnosing female infertility is knowing if ovulation is predictable. Your doctor may also recommend other tests to identify the issue and suggest appropriate treatments.

These tests might include:

• Ovulation testing - The ovulation prediction kit detects the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge before ovulation. This can be done at home.

• Hysterosalpingography - Here, the X-ray contrast is inserted into the uterus to check for problems inside the uterus. If any issues are identified, the doctor will do further evaluation.

• Ovarian reserve testing - This testing helps determine the quality and quantity of eggs available.

• Hormone testing - Other hormone tests help check the levels of ovulatory hormones and thyroid and pituitary hormones that control reproductive processes.

• Ultrasound - A pelvic ultrasound helps identify the issues in the uterus and the fallopian tubes, which cannot be identified on a regular ultrasound.

• Laparoscopy - It is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed by gynaecologists. This procedure uses a small video camera to view the pelvic organs and spot the issue.

A variety of treatment options are available to overcome female infertility. The cause of infertility usually guides the type of treatment. For example, problems such as a block in the fallopian tube, endometriosis, etc., may be treated through surgery. At the same time, hormonal medications can be used for other issues such as thyroid, PCOS, etc.

Besides the above-mentioned treatment options, some patients may require additional reproductive assistance such as IVF or IUI. Therefore, with appropriate treatment and support, more than half of the women who undergo infertility treatments eventually become pregnant.

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