Infertility in Women Overview

Infertility in Women Overview

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 12%, or 7.3 million, of women ages 15-44 in the United States had problems getting pregnant or carrying a baby full term in 2002.

Infertility is defined as having unprotected sex for at least one year without having a pregnancy, or becoming pregnant but miscarrying soon after. Approximately 30% of infertility problems are thought to be cause by men while another 30% are from problems with women. The remaining 40% are caused by a combination of both the man and woman, or are due to unknown factors.

Women who have problems with infertility often have problems with ovulation, and this is known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). These women's body's still make eggs, but those eggs don't mature properly and thus they're unable to be fertilized by sperm. This problem is primarily caused by hormone imbalances or irregularities. Sometimes the hormones are out of balance due to improper nutrition, extra stress, or excess workouts.

Other female health problems can cause infertility as well though. Some of these include having blocked fallopian tubes from endometriosis, uterine fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, or certain types of surgeries. Sometimes there are also problems with the uterus itself.

Infertility can be caused by a number of other things too, and many women aren't aware of some of these. Age plays a major role in fertility for instance. The ability to successfully have an egg fertilized drops a little around the age of thirty, more so by the age of 35, and it's drastically reduced around the age of 40.

As a woman ages, her ovaries release less eggs ready to be fertilized. Women's health declines with age as well, and she's more likely to have specific health problems, conditions or diseases which might interfere with the fertilization process. The risks of miscarriage increase as women age too.

Common everyday lifestyle factors can cause infertility as well though. Excessive stress for instance, and poor diet or malnutrition are some causes of infertility. Excessive athletic training can cause it too, as can being over or under weight, smoking tobacco, excessive alcohol, sexually transmitted diseases, and hormonal problems or imbalances.

Women who have problems with ovulation often experience irregular or non-existent menstrual periods. If other health problems and conditions exist, these could be causing the infertility problems as well. Some of the symptoms include extremely painful menstrual periods, heavy blood flow during your menstrual period, painful intercourse or bowel movements, and more than one miscarriage.

Note: Some statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice.

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