1 in 6 couples are now being diagnosed with infertility and this fact can be pretty devastating. It is high-time to work to change how we manage and educate fertility health.
Infertility is an equal-opportunity condition, meaning both men and women can be the source of infertility. Great news: the majority of infertility cases CAN be treated. Some couples who have been diagnosed with infertility have gone through extensive fertility testing. What some couples may not know is that there are natural options available that can help correct many fertility problems. Here at First Steps Fertility, we are dedicated to assisting couples who are having fertility issues.
Let us take a look at the Top 5 causes of infertility:
OVULATION DISORDER
There are different factors as to why a woman may have no ovulation or irregular ovulation cycles. One of the top reasons why women experience ovulation disorder is a hormonal imbalance. Here are some of the reasons why hormonal imbalance may cause ovulation disorder:
- Poor egg health
- Poor nutrition
- Poor lifestyle choices
- Problems with one or more of the endocrine glands
- Stress
- Low body weight / Obesity
- Long-term use of fertility medications (e.g. birth control pills)
LOW SPERM COUNT
Medical experts have found that 20 million sperm per mL is a healthy sperm count. Anything less than that count is considered low. The low sperm count can be due to some or a combination of the following:
- Poor lifestyle choices
- Damage to the reproductive organs
- Anti-sperm antibodies
- Illness treated with chemotherapy
POOR SPERM/EGG HEALTH
For poor sperm health, this includes sperm motility or the movement of the sperm as well as morphology or the proper formation of the sperm and DNA. Studies show that 25% of infertility cases are due to poor sperm health. The causes are often the same as those for low sperm count. However, not all men with low sperm count also have poor sperm health and vice-versa.
For poor egg health, it may be due to the following reasons:
- Poor lifestyle choices
- Hormonal imbalance
- Auto-immune disorder
- Age also plays a role
- Damage to the reproductive organs
- Illness treated with chemotherapy
BLOCKED FALLOPIAN TUBES
Fallopian tubes are the pathways in which the ova travel from the ovaries to the uterus. If there is a blockage in these tubes, ovulation can be prevented from occurring. 25% of infertility cases are due to blocked fallopian tubes. The main causes of blocked fallopian tubes are the following:
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
- Endometriosis
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Uterine fibroids
ENDOMETRIOSIS
This happens when excess endometrium lining of the uterus, which normally grows in preparation for egg implanting, does not shed completely during menstruation. It attaches instead to other places of the body beside the uterus. When menses come, not only does the lining in the uterus bleed, but the endometriosis that has grown in other places also bleeds. According to research, 35-50% of infertility cases are due to this.
For fertility concerns, call Dr. Fay Weisberg today!
