| Infertility (also known as sterility) is the inability to conceive a baby after, at least, one year of attempting. Infertility is not necessarily a woman's problem. Only 30% of cases are triggered by female factors. In another one third of cases, sterility is because of the male. The remaining cases are triggered by a mixture of male and female factors or by unidentified factors.
Problems with ovulation account for most cases of infertility in females. If a female menstruates irregularly or does not menstruate at all, she might have problems with ovulation. Less common causes of reproduction problems in females include plugged oviducts because of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), endometriosis, or surgery for an ectopic pregnancy, physical problems with the uterus, uterine fibroids.
A woman's ability to get pregnant can be affected by a great many factors. They are age, stress, poor diet, athletic training, corpulence or being underweight, heavy smoking, addiction to alcohol and drugs, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), well-being problems that lead to hormonal imbalances.
Nowadays more women conceive their first baby when they are in their 30s or 40s. In fact, about 20% of Americans are estimated to have their first child after the age of 35. Hence, age is an increasingly common cause of fertility problems. About one third of couples where the female is over 35 have reproduction problems.
In males, hormone disorders, illnesses, reproductive anatomy injury and obstruction, as well as sexual dysfunction can affect conception temporarily or permanently. The longer some disorders are untreated, the fewer chances of recovery are. Men who smoke have a 13-17% lower sperm count that non-smokers. Alcohol abuse can considerably reduce the sperm count. Tight fitting apparel and elongated periods of sitting can lead to a decrease in sperm count through undue heating of the testicles. Marijuana, cocaine and anabolic steroids all reduce the sperm count and adversely influence motility.
Both males and females require specialist assistance if pregnancy does not happen naturally. |
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