|
|
Infertility
The causes of infertility are many, but the solutions are individual. Infertility is typically diagnosed as the inability of a couple of reproductive age to achieve conception after one year of regular sexual intercourse without contraception. For patients over 35 years of age, this period is shortened to six months without conception. Since women over 35 years of age can experience rapid declines in fertility, early diagnosis and treatment are essential.
There are two diagnostic categories of infertility: primary and secondary. Patients with no prior pregnancies have primary infertility. Those with prior pregnancies have secondary infertility.
Unfortunately, infertility is all too common. A recent survey reported that 14% of American couples, or approximately 28 million couples, have documented infertility. Approximately half of these couples will actually seek treatment. Most importantly, 85% of those who seek treatment will conceive and deliver a healthy baby.
There are multiple causes of infertility and in many patients more than one cause may be present. Accordingly, a thorough evaluation is required. Common causes of infertility include abnormal sperm parameters in 35% of cases, ovulation and egg quality disorders in 30% of cases, and pelvic adhesions, endometriosis, fallopian tube disorders and uterine disorders in up to 50% of cases. In 5% - 10% of all infertile couples, specific factors cannot be identified as a cause of infertility. However, effective treatment options are available to them.
What are the requirements for normal fertility?
- The male must produce a sufficient number of normal, motile sperm, which travel through unobstructed pathways, and are released from the penis as an ejaculate.
- The sperm must be deposited in the female vagina at the appropriate time during the menstrual cycle when they can penetrate the cervical mucus, ascend through the uterus and fallopian tubes, and fertilize the egg.
- The woman must produce a healthy and mature egg, which is released from the ovary. After the ovary releases the egg, the egg must move down the fallopian tube so that it may encounter sperm and be fertilized.
- The fertilized egg must move into the uterus and implant in a matured endometrium (the uterine lining) which will nourish its further development.
An interruption in one or more of the above processes can cause infertility. Since the evaluation of infertility is complex, it should be performed by a specialist trained in reproductive endocrinology.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please
call 1-866-30-JONES or contact us.
|
|
|
