INFERTILITY
Infertility is the inability of sexually active couples to achieve pregnancy after one year of unprotected intercourse. About one in 7-8 couples is suffering from infertility. There are four essential steps in establishing a pregnancy:
- Ovulation: release of a mature egg from ovary of female
- Tubal function: Fallopian tube should pick up the released egg
- Fertilization: Sperms should reach the fallopian tube to meet the egg forming an embryo
- Implantation: Embryo should attach the wall of uterus
Causes of Infertility
In around 40% cases underlying cause can be due to problems in females like hormonal disturbances leading to defective egg production, PCOS, blocked fallopian tubes, Endometriosis and many others. In another 40% of cases the underlying reason can be abnormal semen parameters like poor sperm count, motility or morphology, erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction and varicocele in the male partner. In rest of the cases the cause remains unknown or unexplained. Repeated miscarriages and advanced age of female (>35 years) also warrants evaluation for infertility.
Now a day, with advances in the field of reproductive medicine, there is possibility of getting pregnancy in most of these cases with reasonably good success rates.
When to see a fertility specialist?
- After 1 years of trying if the couple is unable to conceive or
- After 6 months of trying if women age is 35 years or more
- Immediately if a known factor responsible for infertility is present like fibroids, endometriosis or history of cancer treatment, non-consummation of marriage or sexual dysfunction.
We suggest both partners should visit the fertility consultant together and the undergo fertility assessment simultaneously.