/
Infertility refers to the inability to conceive or carry a child to term. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infertility affects about 6 million American women and their partners. A problem or obstruction at any point during conception prevents pregnancy from taking place.
For about a third of infertility cases, either physicians can find no cause, or the cause can be traced to conditions in each partner that interact to cause infertility. About a third of cases can be traced to causes specifically in the male, and about a third to causes in the female [see Pregnancy Miracle Book ].
Female Infertility Factors
Female infertility factors are commonly grouped in two categories:structural abnormalitiesandhormonal imbalances.
- 1.Structural Abnormalities
Some women are born with reproductive systems that have anatomical irregularities, or infection or injuries may damage certain reproductive organs.Blocked fallopian tubesare a frequent cause of female infertility, accounting for up to 35 percent of cases among females. Scar tissue that blocks the fallopian tubes—caused by infection, inflammation, or a condition called endometriosis—prevents eggs from meeting sperm.
Sometimes a woman is born with amalformed cervical canal. An impaired cervical canal can prevent passage of sperm from the vagina to the uterus as the sperm travel toward the fallopian tubes. If a woman is able to conceive, problems with the cervical canal can lead tomiscarriage. In the uterus, noncancerous growths, such as fibroid tumors and polyps, can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall.
- 2.Hormonal Imbalance
A frequent cause of infertility in women isabnormal ovulation. Normally one egg will be released each month about midway through the menstrual cycle, under the direction of several hormones (seeMenstruation). If any of these hormones are not functioning, ovulation will occur irregularly or perhaps not at all. This condition accounts for about 25 percent of cases of female infertility.
Abnormal ovulation can be caused by a number of disorders of the endocrine system, includingthyroid disease,diabetes mellitus, andpolycystic ovarian syndrome.
Certain chemicals can affect hormonal levels and adversely affect fertility. For instance, marijuana use can shorten the menstrual cycle. Cigarette smoking reduces some types of hormone production and may deplete egg supply.
- 3.Other Factors
A number of other factors also may contribute to female infertility. Once inside the female's cervix, sperm may encounter obstacles.The cervical mucus(thick fluid that protects the cervix and uterus from infection) may be too thick for the sperm to penetrate, or it may be chemically hostile to the sperm.
A fertilized egg may also become stuck in the fallopian tube and result in an ectopic pregnancy.
Click Here To Discover How to Treat Infertility Naturally; Without Drugs or Surgery
