Dr. Aruna Ashok MBBS, MS OG, DNB OG
- Clinical Director
Aruna Ashok | 24 Mar 2023
Everybody knows that difficulty in conceiving is the early sign of infertility. However, experts recommend waiting for the more specific symptoms to confirm the potential infertility. They also strongly recommend seeking a diagnosis from the fertility specialist to determine the underlying cause of the issue. This is because these two recommendations are crucial for managing and addressing infertility concerns.
It’s quite natural for couples to presume that they are dealing with infertility after a year of trying to conceive with regular, unprotected intercourse. It is essential for couples to understand that infertility can happen either to women or men. In some scenarios, it can happen to disorders in both of the partners. Sometimes, the cause of the issues may also not be identified. It is widely known as unexplained infertility. Whatever the underlying cause is, it is essential to be checked out through a reputed specialist to make informed decisions about treatment options.
Let’s take a few minutes to understand what are the causes of infertility, its symptoms, effective treatment options and so on.
A woman’s body has the tendency to exhibit abnormalities in her natural physiology, which may happen due to a wide range of factors. The factors may include medical conditions, hormonal imbalance and so on. The disruption in natural physiology can indeed be manifested as changes in bleeding patterns, pain levels and more.
Listed below are more detailed explanations for better understanding:
Women may experience irregular periods when their ovulation process is disrupted. They may notice their bleeding to be lighter or heavier, longer or shorter, than usual cycles. Sometimes, they may even experience no periods.
Due to various underlying medical conditions, women may experience mild to severe pain during their periods. They may experience pelvic pain, back pain, and abdominal cramping.
Experiencing pain during intercourse can be a symptom of underlying uterine conditions like endometriosis and fibroids. These conditions may interfere with causing difficulty in conceiving naturally.
Vaginal soreness and irritability can be caused by infections in the pelvic region. The infection may sometimes result in severe medical complications if left untreated. This may also interfere with causing difficulty in conceiving naturally.
Abnormal hair growth on the chest, face, butt and other parts of the woman’s body can be a potential indicator of hormonal imbalance. This can significantly interrupt natural fertilization.
Both sudden weight gain and weight loss can affect fertility as weight fluctuation is the indicator of hormonal imbalance.
In certain scenarios, digestive problems can be a potential sign of infertility. This is because the symptom is associated with uterine conditions like endometriosis. This may certainly cause digestive issues like diarrhoea, bloating, and constipation.
Again, hormonal imbalance can affect fertility, showing the symptoms of acne even in adults.
Some women may notice abnormal discharge from their nipples, which can be caused by hormonal imbalance.
Apart from difficulty in conceiving being the obvious symptom of infertility, other signs can also indicate underlying issues that are associated with fertility. These might include erectile dysfunction, changes in sexual desire, trouble ejaculating, lump, swelling or pain in the testicles.
Listed below are more detailed explanations for better understanding:
Sexual dysfunction, which may include a decreased sex drive, issues with ejaculation, changes in semen volume, difficulty achieving an erection, and sometimes maintaining an erection can all be the symptoms and potential contributors to infertility.
Injuries or infections in the testis can contribute to the development of pain, lump and swelling in the affected area. In rare scenarios, due to testicular cancer, the testicles can also swell and cause pain. These symptoms may need immediate medical attention and are often associated with infertility.
The fluctuations in the levels of testosterone hormone can cause unusual breast growth, decreased facial or body hair, and fatigue. This fluctuation may indeed affect infertility.
Recurring respiratory problems can sometimes be associated with male infertility. The conditions like Kartagener's syndrome and primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) can block sperm passage and affect its motility. This may ultimately contribute to affecting fertility.
Even though the symptom is less common, it is associated with male infertility as the symptom might be caused due to hormonal imbalance.
Sperm production problems such as abnormal sperm shape (teratospermia), poor sperm motility (asthenospermia), and low sperm count (oligospermia) can be potential indicators of male infertility.
To treat female infertility, centres like A4 Fertility Centre can offer several treatment options. The options may vary depending on the underlying cause of female infertility and individual circumstances like age. The common treatment for female infertility may include:
Sexual dysfunction, which may include a decreased sex drive, issues with ejaculation, changes in semen volume, difficulty achieving an erection, and sometimes maintaining an erection can all be the symptoms and potential contributors to infertility.
Surgical interventions like laparoscopy and tubal surgery may certainly help with correcting the structural disorders in the uterus. They may also help with addressing conditions like fibroids and polyps, which are the contributing factors to female infertility. With tubal surgery, your healthcare provider may repair blocked fallopian tubes. All these factors can indeed help with enhancing the chances of successful fertilization.
Assisted reproductive technologies like intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and gamete donation are effective solutions for female infertility.
IUI can be the first line of treatment option for infertility. The procedure involves injecting the treated sperm inside the uterus. Whereas IVF is the procedure that involves transferring the fertilized egg into the uterus, which takes place outside the body. While ICSI is a procedure that is performed by injecting only one healthy sperm into the selected egg directly.
Both IVF and ICSI may involve retrieving eggs and sperm to make them fertilize in the laboratory setup. IVF is related to more of the natural-like fertilization but in a lab dish. While ICSI is related to selecting only one healthy sperm to inject into the egg to make it fertilize in a lab dish.
On the other hand, gamete donation is associated with utilizing the donor’s sperm and eggs for conception. All these ART options are considered as the hope and boon for couples facing infertility.
Lifestyle modifications like maintaining your body BMI, avoiding smoking and drinking, excessive caffeine, moderate exercise and consuming a healthy and balanced diet can all have a positive impact on female infertility.
Addressing underlying medical conditions like PCOS and fibroids can significantly enhance the chances of successful fertilization.
Similar to female infertility, A4 Fertility Centre can offer several treatment options for male infertility. The options may vary depending on the underlying cause of the infertility, ranging from lifestyle modifications to assisted reproductive technologies (ART).
Lifestyle modifications like maintaining your body's BMI, avoiding smoking and drinking, and avoiding the usage of harmful substances can help enhance the chances of fertilization. In addition, moderate exercise, managing stress and consuming a healthy and balanced diet can all have a positive impact on male infertility.
Medications and hormone therapy are effective methods for treating male infertility. These methods may be effective when low testosterone or hormone imbalance is the significant cause of male infertility. Your healthcare provider may prescribe medications like gonadotropins, dopamine agonists, and aromatase inhibitors. These medications can help to enhance the production of sperm and regulate the testosterone hormones and overall fertility.
Assisted reproductive technologies like intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and surgical sperm retrieval are effective solutions for male infertility. These technologies can be highly effective when it comes to addressing poor motility, low sperm count, and other male factor issues.
IUI can be the first line of treatment option for infertility. The procedure involves injecting the treated sperm inside the uterus. Whereas IVF is the procedure that involves transferring the fertilized egg into the uterus, which takes place outside the body. While ICSI is a procedure that is performed by injecting only one healthy sperm into the selected egg directly.
Both IVF and ICSI may involve retrieving eggs and sperm to make them fertilize in the laboratory setup. IVF is related to more of the natural-like fertilization but in a lab dish. While ICSI is related to selecting only one healthy sperm to inject into the egg to make it fertilize in a lab dish.
On the other hand, surgical sperm retrieval is the procedure that involves retrieving sperm directly from the testicles or epididymis. The procedure may include microscopic epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA) and testicular sperm extraction (TESE).
Addressing other issues like genetic factors being the cause of male infertility, your healthcare provider may suggest genetic counselling. Counselling may help couples to have a better understanding of the implications of the condition. Furthermore, other potential treatment options may also be suggested like medication, surgery, or assisted reproductive technologies like IVF to address the issue.
A woman should seek medical help when:
A man should seek medical help when:
Dealing with infertility can be a depressing experience, both emotionally and financially. However, you can convert the experience into a peaceful one by seeking support from the beloved people, making yourself more informed of the condition, and understanding the available options to address the issue more effectively.
Infertility is a manageable condition as there are numerous advanced treatment options exist to explore. Consulting experienced healthcare providers as in A4 Fertility Centre is crucial for effective management and personalized treatment plans.
1. Can female infertility be genetic?
The answer to the question is yes. Some women may experience structural uterine anomalies, ovulatory disorders, and chromosomal abnormalities as the genetic cause of infertility.
2. Is infertility a medical condition?
The answer to the question is yes. Infertility is marked as a medical condition by the International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technology and the World Health Organization (WHO).
3. What causes infertility in both men and women?
Several factors may have a negative impact on fertility in both men and women. They are hormonal imbalances, infections, genetic abnormalities, and structural issues with the reproductive organs.
In women, infertility may be caused by damage to fallopian tubes, issues with ovulation, and conditions like fibroids and PCOS. In men, infertility may be caused by poor sperm quality, blocked reproductive tubes, and low sperm count.
4. Can the disorder in my immune system impact fertility?
The answer to the question is yes. The disorder in the immune system can certainly impact fertility, particularly autoimmune diseases.
5. Is it possible to be allergic towards the partner’s sperm?
The answer to the question is yes. It is quite possible to be allergic towards the partner’s sperm. However, it is only in the rare scenarios. The condition is widely known as semen allergy or seminal plasma hypersensitivity.
