Infertility is described as the inability to conceive in couples even after engaging in regular, unprotected intercourse for a year because of particular medical conditions. The period of time it takes to diagnose infertility is reduced to six months when the woman is older than 35. It is necessary to evaluate women over 40 immediately. Miscarriage and the inability to bring a baby to birth are not considered to be forms of infertility.
Infertility is Common
Some people struggle to become pregnant or sustain pregnancies. If you suffer numerous miscarriages or don’t become pregnant after trying for a year or longer, you are often diagnosed with infertility. Multiple infertility conditions may be treated, and many people go on to become pregnant and give birth to healthy children.
There are other factors besides gender or age that might affect fertility. Infertility can be caused by a variety of factors and can affect people of all sexes and ages. That is why, if a couple is having problems conceiving, both persons are often checked for infertility.
A survey by the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) revealed that between 10 and 15 percent of Indian couples struggle to conceive or bring a pregnancy to term. Infertility is frequently caused by advancing age, genetic reasons, environmental and pollution issues, lifestyle factors like stress, smoking, alcohol, being overweight or underweight, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Common Reasons of Infertility:
- Advancing age
- Genetic factors
- Environment and pollution
- Lifestyle (stress/smoking/alcohol)
- Being overweight or underweight
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
No, infertility is not only a female issue. Men can also experience infertility. In fact, both men and women can experience infertility. Many couples who are unable to conceive turn to medical support, although infertility is frequently cast off as a woman’s issue.
Is Infertility Just a Woman’s Problem?
Approximately one-third of all cases of infertility are caused by problems with women. Men are also responsible for one third of infertility problems. The remaining instances resulted from both identified and unidentified problems as well as a combination of male and female disorders.
Types of Infertility
- Primary Infertility: Primary infertility is the phrase used to describe a situation when a couple has tried unprotected sexual activity for at least a year without success.
- Secondary Infertility: Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive or bring a pregnancy to term after having previously been pregnant and delivered a healthy baby.
When to Seek Fertility Help
It is estimated that approximately one in ten couples will experience fertility problems after two years of trying to achieve a pregnancy and this may be due to male health problems, female health problems or combinations of health issues. Luckily, many of the causes of infertility are understood and advances in assisted reproductive technology can now provide a solution for those unable to conceive.
- If the couple has been trying to conceive for more than a year and the female partner is under 35.
- Particularly if the male partner is more than five years older than the female partner and the female partner is between the ages of 35 and 37, the couple has been attempting to conceive for six months.
- Evaluation of potential infertility factors should be performed if the female partner is 37 years of age or older, especially if the male partner is more than five years older than the female partner.
- If one partner has a known fertility issue, the female partner has irregular periods, or both partners have fertility issues.
- It is recommended to consult your general practitioner if you have fertility-related concerns.
