What Is It?


Most couples who have unprotected sex
at least twice per week are able to
become pregnant within one year. If
pregnancy does not occur after one
year, the man and woman are
diagnosed as having an infertility
problem.


Infertility can stem from the man, the
woman or both partners. In some
couples, no cause of infertility can be
found. In other couples, more than one
cause exists.

Normal aging reduces a woman's ability
to become pregnant. Ovulation is the
process of forming and releasing an
egg. With age, ovulation becomes slower
and less effective.

Aging begins to reduce fertility as early
as age 30. Pregnancy rates are very low
after age 44. This is true even when
fertility medications are used.


SYMPTOMS

The primary symptom of infertility is
difficulty getting pregnant. Various
causes of infertility may result in
additional symptoms.
Any of the following problems may
cause infertility:

*. Infrequent ovulation. When your
periods occur more than a month,
or sometimes are absent, you have
infrequent ovulation.
Common causes of infrequent ovulation
include:

*Body stresses such as: Eating
disorders, unusually ambitious
exercise training, Rapid weight
loss, Low body weight, obesity.

Some hormonal abnormalities such
as: Thyroid problems, pituitary-gland
problems, adrenal-gland
problems, polycystic ovary syndrome,
Hormonal abnormalities can delay or
prevent the ovaries from releasing an
egg. Symptoms that suggest a hormone
abnormality include:

Unexpected weight loss or
gain, fatigue, excessive hair growth or
hair loss, Acne, Ovarian cysts. Cysts in
the ovary can cause pelvic pain.
They also can interfere with the
normal process of ovulation.

Scarring in the fallopian tubes. This
can prevent pregnancy by stopping
the egg from traveling into the
uterus.
Damage can result from:
A previous surgery, a previous
ectopic (tubal)
pregnancy, Endometriosis, Pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID). PID is
a bacterial infection in the pelvis. It
often scars, damages or blocks the
fallopian tubes.
Abnormalities in the shape or
lining of the uterus.
Fibroid tumors or uterine polyps
sometimes result in:

Heavy menstrual bleeding
Pelvic pain
Enlargement of the uterus
Scar tissue can develop within the
uterus as a complication of:
Uterine infections
Miscarriages
Abortions
Surgical procedures such as a
dilation and curettage (D&C)
Such scar tissue can lead to infrequent
periods or minimal menstrual flow.

Now we move over to diagnosis. how to DIAGNOSE if A FEMALE has an Infertility problem.

DIAGNOSIS:

The first step in diagnosing female
infertility is determining whether
ovulation is occurring at predictable
intervals. When an egg is released, it
causes a shift in the body's sex
hormones.
This shift in sex hormones can be
detected with these tests:

*. Early-morning core body
temperature. You use a precise
(basal body) thermometer to take
your temperature first thing every
morning. You will detect a slightly
higher temperature after ovulation.
Ovulation predictor test. This is an
over-the-counter urine test. It can
predict egg release. A positive test
means you have ovulated recently
or are about to ovulate.
*. Vaginal mucus. You may be able to
recognize changes in the
appearance and consistency of your
vaginal mucus. These changes
signal hormone shifts that show
ovulation has occurred.
Your doctor will examine your vagina
and pelvic organs. A sample of mucus
from your cervix and vagina may be
tested for possible infection.
If necessary, blood tests may be used to:

*. Confirm normal ovulation
Show whether the ovaries are
functioning well enough to release
eggs.
*. Measure the function of your
thyroid, pituitary and adrenal
glands.
Other tests may also help to determine
the cause of infertility. These examine
the physical structure of pelvic organs.

Hysterosalpingogram: This is an X-
ray study in which a liquid dye is
injected into your uterus. It reveals
problems such as polyps and
fibroid tumors in the uterus. It can
also reveal partial or complete
blockage of the fallopian tubes.

Ultrasound: An ultrasound reveals
the shape and size of the uterus. It
gives some information about the
uterine cavity or inner lining. An
ultrasound can identify the shape
and size of the ovaries and the
presence of developing cysts.
Hysteroscopyand laparoscopy.
These are surgical procedures
performed by a gynecologist. Both
procedures use a small video
camera to view the pelvic organs.
During a hysteroscopy, your doctor can
see the inside of your uterus. He or she
can obtain biopsies. In some cases, the
doctor can remove polyps, fibroids or
scar tissue.

Laparoscopy allows your doctor to view
the outside of your uterus and inspect
your ovaries. Sometimes, it is possible to
remove ovarian cysts or scar tissue
during a laparoscopy.

More coming. If you have any Questions feel free to ask.

treatments?

CAN FEMALE INFERTILITY BE PREVENTED?
Yes! it can be prevented and some of the prevention tips includes:


Exercise moderately. Do not
exercise so heavily that your
menstrual periods are infrequent or
absent. We see that most ladies or women trying to lose or gain weight go extremes with their weight loss exercise scheme, not knowing that this can have adverse effect on them.

Avoid extremes of weight. An
optimum body mass index (BMI) is
at least 20 and below 27.

Avoid alcohol, smoking and drugs.

Avoid too much caffeine. Do not
drink more than one cup of coffee
per day.

Review your medicines with your
doctor. Some medications can affect
your ability to conceive or carry a
normal pregnancy.

A "fertility diet". The following
nutritional advice seems to be
associated with improved
fertility:

Avoiding trans fats (check
the Nutrition Facts labels on
foods).

Eating more beans, nuts and
other fertility-boosting plant
protein.
Eating more whole
grains.
Avoiding sugary sodas.
Having a glass of whole milk and other full-
fat dairy food every day (even
including an occasional small bowl
of ice cream).

NOTE:
Some treatments for cancer can cause
infertility. Certain techniques allow a
woman planning to undergo
chemotherapy or radiation to later have
a baby from her own egg. Discuss these
with your doctor before beginning
cancer treatment... ANY QUESTIONS?

yinkus4u2c:
treatments?

Treatment depends on the results of
your infertility evaluation. Some causes
of infertility have a specific treatment.
For example, surgery may be done to
remove a fibroid tumor.

INFERTILITY CAN BE TREATED WITH FERTILITY DRUGS.

Infertility may be associated with
infrequent or absent ovulation. This
often can be treated with hormone
medications. These are called fertility
drugs.

NOTE: All fertility medications have potential
side effects. And they can cause
multiple babies in one pregnancy. Most
fertility treatments require the
supervision of a fertility specialist.

Examples of fertility medicines include:

*. Clomiphene (Clomid, others). This
medicine stimulates the ovary to
release one or more eggs. It works
by adjusting levels of your natural
hormones.
*. Luteinizing hormone (LH) and
follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
These injected hormone
medications encourage the ovaries
to release more than one egg at a
time.

These medicines are sometimes given
after treatment with another hormone
medicine, a GnRH analogue. A GnRH
analogue prepares the body for a
precisely timed cycle of ovulation.