Infertility is the inability of a couple to bear a child when using no contraception for a period of 1 year. In today’s scenario, almost every 6th couple is is facing this problem. Around 35% of infertility cases can be attributed to female factors, 35% to male factors, and the remaining 30% are due to a combination of factors or remain unexplained
Causes of Infertility:
Some of the most important causes of infertility are:
In Women: Advanced age, Poor Ovarian reserve, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (Pcos), Endometriosis, pelvic surgery with removal of uterus or oναries, tubal blockages, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancers.
In Men: Erectile dysfunction, abnormal sperm count, motility or morphology, testicular infections, ejaculation disorders.
Apart from the above causes, other risk factors which are increasing the incidence of infertility are:
1. Obesity: with changing lifestyles, obesity has become an epidemic in both males and females, leading to infertility.Being underweight can also reduce .fertility
2. Poor Dietary Habits: Excessive intake of caffeine, processed foods, high sugar drinks and sodas and din certain foods with unhealthy fats. Such as trans fats found in processed foods like cookies, crackers and fast foods, saturated fats found in animal products like meat and daisy, and Omega-6 fatty acids found in coin oil, Soybean oil also contribute to infertility
3. Alcohol comumption: Excessive alcohol consumption leads to problems like erectile dysfunction.
4. Smoking: This is the biggest contributor to infertility in recent times. The effect is more severe when the woman is also a Smoker.
5. Excessive or Lack of Exercise: Lack of exercise to obesity and overall lethargy Over-Exercising, on the other hand, leads to erectile dysfunction.
6. Environmental Pollution: Exposure to toxins and chemicals has increased which leads to reduction in overall egg and sperm quality.
Diagnosing Infertility:
The Cause for infertility should be identified so that treatment can be directed appropriately.
Your fertility specialist will carry out the following tests which are useful for diagnosis:
1. Ultrasound On Day-2 of menstrual cycle to know your Antral Follicular count (AFC)
2. Blood tests like AMH/FSH/LH/Estradiol
3. Thyroid function Test
4. Serum Prolactin
5. STD testing ( HIV/HBsAg / HCV / VDRL)
7 HSG (Hysterosalpingography) also known as Tube Test Husband Semen Analysis
Treatment
Once the cause is identified, then targeted treatment can be done, like:
1. Sexual counselling for the couple
2. Hormonal Treatments
3. Intrauterine Insemination (IVE)
4. In- Vitro fertilisation (IVF) / Intra cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
5. Donor Gametes (Eggs sperms)
6. Нysteroscopy | Laparoscopy
7. Surrogacy
