Infertility

Keywords

Infertility, In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), treatment, ovulation, hysterectomy, falling pregnant, endometriosis, operations, surgery.

Introduction

When a couple decide to have a baby, usually the woman will come off the combined menstrual pill, and the man will stop using a condom, and they will copulate until they fall pregnant. Eighty-four percent of people will do this naturally, but the other 16% will have issues. These are issues that are called infertility.

So, What is it?

Infertility can be for a number of reasons. When a couple have been trying for a baby for over a year, or for longer, their chances of falling pregnant become smaller, and the window of opportunity closes. There are a number of reasons, including:

• Lack of regular ovulation (the natural release of an egg)
• Poor quality semen
• Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes
• Endometriosis

Other Reasons for Infertility

There are other reasons for infertility. They include age, weight, STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections), smoking, alcohol, stress, and environmental factors.

Interesting fact: despite most people thinking that infertility can affect the female, the split is actually equal in men and women having issues, obviously for different reasons.

Endometriosis

This is a condition where tissues similar to the lining of the uterus start to grow outside the womb. It can affect women of any age, and is a long-term condition that can have significant impact on your life, but it can be treated.

There are many symptoms to endometriosis, and include:

• Pain in your lower stomach or back (pelvic pain)
• Period pain that stops your normal activities
• Pain during or after sex
• Pain when going to the toilet
• Feelings of sickness, constipation, diarrhoea, or blood in your pee during your period
• Difficulty getting pregnant

Treatments for Endometriosis

There are ways to treat endometriosis, including:

• Painkillers - ibuprofen or paracetamol
• Hormone medicines and contraceptives
• Surgery to cut away the endometriosis tissues
• Operations to remove the whole womb - hysterectomy