Cryobank
Donor Database
Egg donation
6 Signs You Might be Infertile
Due to various factors, many women postpone family planning so to take care of their career and businesses.
The average age for a “responsible” pregnancy is constantly shifting towards late 30s. By that time, people are expecting to reach the best financial and social stance. With so many effective contraception options available on the market, like oral pills and IUDs, it can be surprising that getting pregnant - rather than not - may become comparatively a lot more difficult.
If you have been sexually active for the past 6 to 12 months and trying to conceive naturally seems not to work for you, it may indicate that certain complications causing infertility may be present. However, there are other predictors to note, even if you are not sexually active at this stage. Don’t put the following issues on the back burner. Instead, learn how to properly watch after your reproductive health.
#1 Age
If you have already turned 36, but continue to have periods and ovulation, it may still be worth seeing a fertility specialist. The doctor will assess your individual chances and a possible amount of time involved to achieve a healthy pregnancy. Sometimes, it may be feasible to proceed with IVF without further due, as well opt in for PGT-A (genetic screening) of embryos. There are many difficulties one can possibly face when planning for a baby in their late 30s.
#2 Irregular Periods
A typical menstrual cycle lasts 24-35 days. If your periods have a wiggle room of 2-3 days, there is nothing to worry about. It is considered a normal situation.
However, if yours tends to be erratic, and you cannot predict the start of your flow by making regular notes in the calendar or an app, it means that there are underlying gynecological issues that may severely affect your chances to get pregnant. Highly irregular periods may point out to anovulation. This issue results in egg not leaving the follicle and not relocating to a fallopian tube where it is designed to remain and be fertilized, or eliminated by the body if no fertilization happens. As you can see, anovulation brings chances to get pregnant naturally to zero, and is to be treated.
#3 No Periods At All
Having no period, not matter how convenient it may seem, – is an obvious sign of infertility. Take it seriously! Periods are a direct outcome of a normal ovulation cycle which precedes its restart and follicular stage. If you don’t have a period at all, then you ovulate neither, which means you won’t get pregnant. There is a high likelihood that infertility may be the cause. You should book an appointment to find out about the actual reasons. Although each situation is different, sometimes a well-chosen therapy with medications can restore periods and ovulation very effectively.
#4 Heavy and painful bleeding
Menorrhagia, or a very heavy and painful menstrual flow, may be a sign of profound health issues and infertility. It is frequently linked to uterine fibroids or polyps.
Menorrhagia itself can be another symptom of anovulation, too. If egg is not released and doesn’t move to a fallopian tube, progesterone synthesis in your body won’t get properly activated. It will remain too low. When woman’s body is incapable of producing the right amount of progesterone throughout the stages of menstrual cycle, it results in intense desquamation of endometrium and, hence, abnormally high volume of menstrual bleeding.
This heavy bleeding is not a period in a proper sense, but can easily be mistaken for one and deemed to be an unfortunate inconvenience. If you are noticing any frightening alterations in your flow, it is always worth seeking a doctor’s advice. By keeping it normal and stable, you will also improve fertility.
#5 Endometriosis
If you are noticing that your pelvic region hurts, if your period and sexual intercourse leave you in a lot of pain, sometimes Endometriosis may be the actual cause.
Endometriosis, in fact, affects almost 200 million women worldwide. It is a disorder that occurs when the tissue of which a woman’s uterine lining consists goes beyond the uterus and makes its way to other organs inside the body, especially fallopian tubes and ovaries. Sometimes the whole lower abdomen may be affected.
Endometriosis can make it harder to get pregnant by preventing movement of the egg and sperm through a woman’s fallopian tubes, as well as make sex very painful.
#6 Increased facial and body hair (hirsutism)
Increased hair growth on the face, belly or spine is a true nuisance and can be a warning sign of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (also abbreviated as “PCOS”). The condition is a result of elevated level of male hormones, also called androgens. Normally the female body processes them into estrogen. If that doesn’t happen, then the high levels of androgens start to circulate and interfere with the regular development and release of eggs, which causes anovulation.
When a woman has PCOS, her ovaries develop numerous small cysts that contain immature eggs.
Please note: Gynecological issues and their underlying causes cannot be diagnosed online and via guides, and you should not attempt to treat them on your own. A qualified specialist assessment is absolutely necessary. Such investigations as a pelvic ultrasound, screenings for hormones and infections are crucial to conduct. As a woman, you should pay attention to all gynecological problems you may face during your life. They can indicate various underlying health issues or conditions and require immediate treatment. Irregular periods, or abnormal bleeding, can affect a woman's reproductive health and, not to mention overall well-being if left untreated.
Gynecological problems stem from a variety of factors: genetics, environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and hormonal imbalances can all play a role.
Diet, stress, or exposure to infections and toxins can trigger many unwanted problems and trouble life and natural conception. To address them in a timely manner means to keep them from worsening and affecting your fertility in the future.
Regular gynecological check-ups and screenings for infections will detect any potential problem and allow for solving them of it at the earliest possible stage, and - in many cases - become pregnant naturally.