FEMALE CONCEPTION PROBLEMS
OVULATION PROBLEMS
An ovulation problem generally refers to issues with releasing a mature egg from
your ovaries once a month. If you're not ovulating, or ovulating erratically, this
can be due to hormonal problems, a disturbance in your pituitary gland, chronic
illness, or being either excessively underweight or overweight/obese.
If your menstrual cycle is all over the place, or even a complete no-show, this
may be a sign that ovulation is a problem for you. A blood test to measure progesterone
levels about a week before your period is due can determine if you're ovulating
or not. Treatment to stimulate ovulation usually involves fertility drugs, such
as Clomid; if this is successful, you can often go on to conceive normally. A common
combination, however, is having Clomid and also artificial inseminaton to boost
your conception chances.
BLOCKED TUBES
If you have blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, this could either stop your partner's
sperm reaching your egg, or stop the fertilised egg making its way to your uterus.
Tube damage can be the result of pelvic inflammatory disease, previous surgery or
ectopic pregnancy, but you generally won't show any symptoms. A surgical procedure
called a laparoscopy can be used to check for obstructions. Treatment may involve
surgery to open the tubes, or IVF if surgery is unsuccessful or the tubes are too
badly damaged to repair.
POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME
When you ovulate, your ovaries produce small follicles. Generally, one follicle
ripens to release an egg, but if you suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
the follicles fail to ripen, forming little cysts on your ovary instead. The results
of this are unpredictable ovulation patterns and irregular periods, making pregnancy
more difficult. Other signs you may have PCOS are excessive hair growth, acne and
otherwise unexplained weight gain. This condition affects up to 10% of women
experiencing fertility problems, and treatment involves lifestyle changes such as
improved diet and exercise. Fertility drugs or IVF may be options for PCOS sufferers.
POOR QUALITY EGGS
In some cases, ovulation may be occurring but the eggs may be damaged or have chromosomal
abnormalities, so pregnancy can't be sustained. While there are no outward signs
to look for in terms of egg quality, your age is a significant factor. You're born
with your entire egg supply of around two million immature eggs, and only around
400 will ever mature; as you age, the quality of your eggs diminishes. You can determine
how many good quality eggs you still have within your ovaries thanks to an innovation
called the ¡®Egg Timer', created by Dr Tremellen. It involves a combination of a
blood tests and pelvic ultrasounds.
ENDOMETRIOSIS
Endometriosis is a condition in which cells from the lining of your uterus (the
endometrium) grow in other parts of your pelvic area, such as the fallopian tubes,
ovaries and the abdomen, which can in turn lead to fertility problems. Some endometriosis
sufferers have no symptoms, while others have painful periods or pelvic pain. Endometriosis
is often treated with surgery to remove the abnormal tissue or unblock tubes. Fertility
drugs or IVF may also be options.
UTERUS PROBLEMS
Beside endometriosis, there are other uterine problems that affect fertility. Some
women suffer from fibroids (non-malignant tumours inside the uterus) or polyps (small
growths in the endometrium). Both conditions can impede a fertilised egg being implanted
in the uterus. Treatment options include the use of drugs to shrink the fibroids,
or surgical removal. Once the problem is treated it may be possible for you to conceive
in the normal way.
CERVIX PROBLEMS
Your cervix has an opening that allows sperm to pass into your uterus and fallopian
tubes. Around the time of ovulation, your cervical mucus increases and is thin and
¡®slippery' so sperm can swim through it - if your cervical mucus remains thick,
however, it can stop sperm from getting through. Some women may also have an immune
reaction to sperm; it's thought that about 2% of women produce antibodies that
kill sperm cells. Besides failing to fall pregnant, you won't show any symptoms
of having this reaction. If you suffer from these problems, your treatment may include
intrauterine insemination (IUI) or IVF.
IDIOPATHIC CAUSES
If you don't suffer from any of these conditions and your partner has been given
the all-clear in his fertility tests, the infertility may be due to some other factor,
or you may be one of the 10% of couples investigated for infertility in which
no cause can be found. This is called unexplained or idiopathic infertility. Since
there's no definite cause there's some chance that you'll conceive sooner or later
without treatment. It may take a while, though, so you might want to look into reproductive
assistance, such as IVF.