A very common question in the mind of many couples trying to fall pregnant is, “are we infertile or is it just taking longer than usual?”. In this article, we’re going to look at symptoms that may help you tell the difference.
Anyone dealing with reproductive issues is going to be very interested in the actual symptoms of infertility, as many people are unsure of when they should be approaching their doctor about this problem.
But are there really symptoms of a woman’s infertility? How does she know when she should be speaking with her doctor, and what should she be talking about?
The Medical Definition Of Infertility
Medically speaking, infertility is actually defined as a lack of pregnancy after a couple have been having regular (twice a week on average) unprotected sex for an entire year. So it’s good to remember that you don’t need to start thinking about infertility if you’ve only been having unprotected sex a few times, or even for a few months. Conception is a very tricky process for a couple to go through with many, many factors that need to happen correctly in order for pregnancy to occur.
But if it’s been a year or more and there hasn’t been a pregnancy, then what should you be looking for or aware of when it comes to possible problems that are technically considered infertility?
Amenorrhea
Amenorrhea is the term used to describe when a woman does not have menstrual periods when she should. Women normally do not menstruate before puberty, during pregnancy, and after menopause. At other times, she should have regular menstrual cycles every month; if she doesn’t, this may be a sign of a treatable medical condition, however, there are some conditions that cause this cessation of periods that may also cause infertility. Possible causes include:
- Failure of the ovaries (female sex organs that hold eggs).
- Problems in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) or the pituitary gland (a gland in the brain that makes hormones involved in menstruation).
- Poorly formed reproductive organs.
- Hormonal imbalance due to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Miscarriage
Miscarriages are caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Infection.
- Exposure to environmental and workplace hazards such as high levels of radiation or toxic agents.
- Hormonal problems.
- Uterine abnormalities.
- Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs.
- Disorders of the immune system, including lupus.
- Severe kidney disease.
- Congenital heart disease.
- Diabetes that is not controlled.
- Thyroid disease.
- Radiation.
- Certain medications, such as the acne drug Accutane.
- Severe malnutrition.
Something to keep in mind is that at least 85% of women who have miscarriages have subsequent normal pregnancies and births. Having a miscarriage does not necessarily mean you have a fertility problem. On the other hand, any of the conditions mentioned above that cause repeated miscarriages can also contribute to fertility issues.
So if you’re a woman wondering if you are having difficulties conceiving, you may want to speak to your doctor immediately if any of these above symptoms are present.
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