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INFERTILITY IN MEN
It is a scientifically proven fact that both men and women can be infertile.
Infertility occurs when there is no conception even after one year of regular
sexual intercourse. Causes of non pregnancy can be due to infertility in men,
infertility in women or even both.
Impotency or erectile dysfunction and Infertility in men should never be clubbed
as both are totally different problems. An infertile person can easily have
proper erection whereas a person with erectile dysfunction is fully capable of
producing a child. These are some of the basic misconceptions which are needed
to be clarified as several people may go for wrong treatment due to lack of
knowledge. Infertility in men is often caused by physical problems like making sperm or
preventing it from reaching the egg. Problems with sperm may exist from birth or
develop later in life due to illness or injury. Some other possible problems
include:
Male fertility can be affected due to sexually transmitted diseases or other
genital infections.
Blockages in parts of the testicle or other physical damages prevent the sperm
from getting into the semen.
Certain hormonal disorders in the pituitary and thyroid glands, can cause
infertility.
Impotency or Erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation can also cause
infertility in men. Factors such as psychological problems, chronic illness or
side effects of certain medications lead to impotency.
Nearly 40% of men are assessed of infertility due to Varicoceles. These are
enlarged varicose veins that develop in the scrotum and prevent blood from
flowing properly.
Lifestyle can influence the infertility in men. Stress and Pollution can
temporarily reduce sperm quality. Environmental toxins, including pesticides and
lead, may cause some cases of infertility in men.
It has been revealed that out of the total infertility, 50% was in men, which
were earlier neglected. According to medical experts all problems of infertility
found in men are now curable. Infertility in men is initially probed with a
physical examination of general health along with a discussion about past and
present medical history. The doctor pays special attention towards outer
characteristics of the body to check for structural irregularity or signs of
possible hormone problems. The causes of infertility are detected considering
the medical history. Issues that will be discussed during the medical history
apply to both the man and the woman. Infertile men are usually treated with
invasive painless methods which improves the chances of pregnancy. The
treatments generally include drug therapy or possible surgery to improve the
situation. A testicular biopsy is done for men who face a problem of premature
ejaculation, to find out whether they have undeveloped sperm in the testes.
Although there is no effective treatment for low sperm count, it can be treated
with artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization with partner or donor
sperm.
The saddest part is that the infertility in men is increasing day by day.
Instead of ignoring and cursing one self, people must get a proper check-up to
know the real cause of infertility. INFERTILITY
IN WOMEN
Infertility in women occurs when she does not conceive, when desired, after one
year of constant efforts to become pregnant.
There are many risk factors that hamper the chances of pregnancy in a female.
Experts believe that infertility is more common amongst working women. They have
become more career oriented and independent, be it financially or emotionally.
Long hours of work and stress often results in chronic diseases like
hypertension, high blood pressure, heart disease etc. which also results in
infertility. Age is another factor that leads to increasing infertility amongst
women as most of them do not want to get married before 30. Doctors say that the
fertility rate is highest for females between 20-35 yrs of age. This is known as
their reproductive age. Even if they get married in their reproductive age, they
dont usually plan their baby soon enough. Modern Lifestyle is also the cause
for infertility in women. Alcohol and smoking adversely affects fertility in
both men and women.
Physical factors that lead to infertility are:
Tubal Blockage
Blockage of the fallopian tubes does not allow the sperms to reach the ovules
which results in infertility.
Ovulation Problems
The irregular periods strongly suggest that an egg is not being released each
month. Sometimes women still cycle but ovulation does not happen every month.
Unexplained Infertility
Unexplained infertility is a terribly frustrating factor which means that
treatment is not directed at any known cause. Recent analysis and study says
that approximately 60% of couples face unexplained infertility problems.
Despite of all these factors, there is still some hope for infertile women to
enjoy the bliss of motherhood. Thanks to advancement in medical sciences, it is
now possible to have a healthy child, which was virtually unimaginable a few
decades ago. Technologies such as Artificial insemination and In Vitro
Fertilitisation (commonly known as IVF) enable these women to have their own
baby and bring joy to their lives.
An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis and prevention of female infertility
is done during the fertility treatments. Diagnosis of infertility begins with a
medical history and physical examination of both the partners. The doctors may
order tests, including the following:
an endometrial biopsy, which tests the lining of the uterus
hormone testing, to measure levels of female hormones
laparoscopy, which allows the provider to see the pelvic organs
ovulation testing, which detects the release of an egg from the ovary
Pap smear, to check for signs of infection
pelvic exam, to look for abnormalities or infection
a postcoital test, which is done after sex to check for problems with
secretions
special X-ray tests
Fertility treatments like Artificial insemination and IVF are a kind of roller
coasters for couples wanting to have a baby desperately. At one point of time,
infertility due to female factors was thought to be the only reason behind all
fertility problems. Today, experts recognize that female infertility accounts
for about 40% of all infertility cases, while male infertility accounts for 40%
to 50% of cases.
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