What Is Infertility?

Infertility issues aren’t much spoken about but are quite commonly encountered. To know someone is infertile or cannot have a child of their own is devastating and has a significant impact on the mental and social well-being of the couple. Being a parent is like looking back at your childhood, yet another time. For couples desperately waiting to welcome a baby, GarbhaGudi is a perfect option, with solutions for all infertility challenges, under one roof.

Inability to achieve pregnancy even after one year of unprotected intercourse is called infertility. One in every seven couples experiences infertility at some point in their life. To understand why couples end up with infertility, one should understand the process of conception or how conception naturally occurs.

The female reproductive system consists of two ovaries connected via fallopian tubes to the uterus. Below the uterus is the vagina from where the sperm travels up. Both ovaries release an egg once in 30 days, which must be rolled into the fallopian tube. The sperm received from the partner travels through the vagina, into the uterus, and into the fallopian tube to fertilize the egg. Fertilization usually takes place in the fallopian tube. The fertilized egg, or embryo, travels down into the uterus, where it implants in the uterine lining or endometrium and subsequently develops into a baby. Any disturbance that develops in any part of this process can lead to infertility.

There are multiple factors responsible for causing a disturbance in the process of conception. There could be a female factor or a male factor responsible for infertility. Let us have a brief insight into the fertility factors.

Identify the cause !!.. Know the fertility factors:

Ovulation Problems are the most common causes of infertility, and approximately 25% of all infertility cases account for ovulatory disorders. Ovulation involves the release of a mature egg from one of the ovaries. After ovulation and around 12 to 16 days before menstruation begins, preparation of the lining of the uterus occurs, creating an optimal environment for implantation and nurturing of the fertilized egg. If there are regular menstrual cycles, there must be ovulation. Cycle lengths of approximately 24 to 34 days are usually ovulatory. If the period cycle happens every few months, the process must be anovulatory or infrequent ovulation.

The Patency of the fallopian tubes is very important for fertilization to occur. There could be blockage of tubes in a few women, which could interfere with the fertilization of the ovum. A special scan done to identify the patency of tubes is called a hysterosalpingogram. A dye is injected before the scan, and the patency of the tubes is verified by the extent of the dye penetration along the fallopian tubes.

Did someone look at an actress giving birth to a child in her late 30s or 40s and planned a successful conception by fixing a specific period? It’s not easy for all. Everyone’s body is designed specifically, and the biological clock never follows social needs.

Delaying pregnancy is a common choice among couples in the current generation. The most common reason couples delay conception is priorities for study, career, and financial security. Fertility declines with age, especially from the mid-30s, as fewer eggs remain in the ovaries, and the eggs’ quality is lower than when younger. Some women experience a decline in fertility in their late 20s.

Tests are now available to determine your ovarian reserve, reflecting age-related fertility potential. In these tests, the hormones follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and AMH are tested in the blood on the second, third, or fourth day of a menstrual period. An elevated FSH level indicates that chances for pregnancy may be lower than routinely expected at that specific age, especially if 35 years or older. Despite having multiple successful options for conception at a later age, one must know that age is an essential factor for fertility.

There is every chance of men being infertile along with women. Generally, people assume that infertility is more common in women, but that is not true. Men contribute 40% to 45% of the total causes of infertility.

A semen analysis reveals the quality, volume, morphology, motility, and count of sperms is performed to assess infertility in men. There could be disorders that affect the components investigated in semen analysis, like hormonal or genetic issues or the presence of a varicocele, etc.

The lining around various organs of the body for helping with their physiological movement is called the peritoneum. Sometimes, there could be a disruption or trauma to the peritoneum that causes adhesion of adjacent organs. One such consequence is pelvic adhesion which prevents the embryo’s implantation into the uterus. These adhesions are detected using an ultrasound scan. They often go undetected and might contribute to infertility.

Another such morphological abnormality could be with the cervix, the lowermost part of the uterus. Issues with a cervix are generally due to any infections, genetic or hormonal. The hysterosalpingogram used to analyze the fallopian tubes’ patency also detects abnormalities in the uterus and cervix.

Infertility is as much an emotional aspect as it is a biological one. Emotional factors like stress, anxiety, lifestyle, and diet associated with the couple may negatively influence reproductive health. There exists evidence linking the effects of mental health with infertility. Although there are numerous solutions, learning the hard way isn’t advised. It’s never too late for a change.

The Hereditary component is also a cause of many disorders, including infertility. There are various gynaecological issues in women and infertility issues in men associated with genetic makeup. There exist numerous other factors related to infertility. Sometimes it’s easy to detect and treat the cause of infertility, and sometimes it may be hard to identify the specific cause.

GarbhaGudi has the clinicians, experts, and the technology to evaluate every possible dimension of the cause of infertility and treat the same.