Infertility
Facts and Statistics
Infertility,
which affects as many as 1
in 6 couples, is defined as
the inability of a couple
to conceive a child after
one year of unprotected sex
and is usually diagnosed through
medical interviews and physical
examinations of both partners.
Infertility
can be caused by a wide variety
of factors. One-third of the
time the problem lies with
the male, one-third of the
time it lies with the female,
and one-third of the time
infertility is caused by problems
with both the male and the
female. Sometimes either the
sperm or the egg are unhealthy
or there is some sort of mechanical
obstruction keeping the sperm
from fertilizing the egg.
Once an egg is fertilized
it must be able to become
implanted in the uterus and
then the embryo must be healthy
and have the proper hormonal
environment in which to develop
properly. Metabolic imbalances,
stress, increasing age, smoking,
alcohol, exposure to toxic
chemicals and drugs, and nutritional
deficiencies or excesses can
all negatively affect fertility.
Infertility
Diseases
Male
Infertility
About
six percent of males between
the ages of fifteen and fifty
struggle with infertility.
Male infertility can be caused
by a variety of problems.
Some of the more common disorders
are listed below.
Deficient Sperm Production:
Ninety percent of male infertility
is caused by the failure to
produce enough sperm. Azzospermia
occurs when no sperm is produced
while olibospermia is diagnosed
when few sperm are produced.
Since most sperm are destroyed
before ever reaching the egg,
the more sperm there are the
better the chances that one
will successfully fertilize
the egg. However, a low sperm
count, or a total sperm count
of less than 5 million/ml,
does not necessarily mean
that a man is infertile if
the sperm that he does have
are healthy, properly formed,
and mobile.
A
low sperm count is determined
by analyzing a semen sample.
Over the last few decades,
sperm count has been declining
steadily. Many studies have
linked this alarming trend
to our modern high-fat, nutrient-deficient
diet. Since sperm are highly
vulnerable to free radical
and oxidative damage, healthy
sperm formation requires an
adequate and ready supply
of the proper nutrients and
antioxidants. Other possible
reasons for low sperm count
include increased scrotal
temperature (elevated temperatures
hinder the maturation of sperm),
varicoceles, environmental
factors (pollution and exposure
to heavy metals), and exposure
to synthetic estrogens such
as those found in birth control
pills and in livestock.
Varicocele:
A varicose vein around one
of the two spermatic cords
can cause blood to pool in
the testes; this, in turn,
causes the temperature to
increase in this area. Higher
temperatures decrease sperm
production and can lead to
infertility. Fortunately,
this problem can be fixed
by surgery.
Infections:
Twenty-eight to seventy-one
percent of infertile men show
some signs of an infection
of their reproductive organs.
The presence of antisperm
antibodies, which attack and
destroy the sperm, are usually
a good indicator that an infection
is present. Of these infections,
chlamydia trachomastis is
the most common and the most
serious. This disease is sexually
transmitted and can damage
the epididymis and the vas
deferens in the male. Such
infections are usually treated
with an antibiotic.
Ductal Obstruction:
Blockage or damage to the
spermatic tubes which is usually
caused by a sexually transmitted
disease, infections, or a
congenital abnormality.
Ejaculatory Dysfunction:
These disorders are characterized
by the failure to deliver
sperm to the vagina. Impotence,
or the inability to maintain
an erection for intercourse,
can be caused by a high fat
diet (fatty deposits clog
the arteries in the penis),
by drugs used to treat high
blood pressure, and by the
nerve damage caused by diabetes.
Other Disorders: Other disorders
that can cause male infertility
include abnormal development
or damage of the testes (caused
by endocrine disorders or
inflammation), disorders of
accessory glands, coital disorders,
exposure to diethylstilbestrol
(DES) a synthetic estrogen
used in the 1950's and 1960's
that caused cysts in the male
reproductive tract, undescended
testicles, and in rare cases
genetic disorders such as
a chromosomal abnormality.
Female Infertility
Polycystic
Ovarian Disease:
This disease is the most common
cause of ovulation disorders
in women and is characterized
by the presence of many minute
cysts in the ovaries, by excess
production of androgens, and
by infrequent periods (obliomenorrhoea)
or absent periods (amenorrhoea).
The failure to ovulate is
the most common cause of female
infertility and can occur
for no apparent reason or
as the result of stress, hormonal
imbalances, and various diseases
and disorders of the reproductive
system (some of which will
be described below).
Age:
After the age of 30 the quality
of your eggs begins to diminish,
and it becomes harder to become
pregnant and carry a fetus
to term. The older a woman
is the more likely it is that
her eggs will have chromosomal
abnormalities.
Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease:
This infection of the reproductive
tract can lead to blocked
or damaged fallopian tubes
and is usually caused by sexually
transmitted disease, miscarriages,
abortions, childbirth, or
an intrauterine device.
Ovulatory Dysfunction:
This disorder occurs
when a woman's ovaries are
not producing eggs or are
producing fewer eggs than
usual because of age, hormonal
imbalances, or other problems.
Uterine
Fibroids:
These benign uterine tumors
occur in 40% of women and
can interfere with embryo
implantation or fetal growth.
Endometriosis
: This disorder
occurs when the tissue which
lines the uterus (the endometrium)
grows into growths or lesions
outside of the uterus (usually
on the ovaries, fallopian
tubes, and ligaments that
support the uterus; the area
between the vagina and the
rectum; the outer surface
of the uterus; the lining
of the pelvic cavity; the
bladder, bowel, vagina, cervix,
vulva, and in abdominal surgical
scars). In sync with the menstrual
cycle, this tissue builds
up, breaks down, and sheds
each month; but unfortunately,
it has no way of leaving the
body. As a result it causes
internal bleeding, breakdown
of blood and tissue from the
lesions, and most often inflammation
which can cause pain, infertility,
scar tissue formation, adhesions,
and bowel problems. The cause
of this disorder is unknown
although there are many theories.
Prenatal
Exposure to Diethylstilbestrol
(DES) : DES
is a synthetic estrogen given
to some women who were deemed
at risk for miscarriage during
the 1950's and 1960's. Women
whose mothers took DES while
pregnant with them are at
high risk for certain reproductive
tract cancers and menstrual
irregularities, as well as
abnormally shaped uteruses
that can lead to repeated
miscarriages.
Pelvic
Adhesions : These are
usually caused by surgery
or infection, and occur when
scar tissue forms between
two or more internal organs.
When this tissue affects the
ovaries or fallopian tubes,
infertility can result.
Immunological
Infertility : This
disorder occurs when the woman's
system produces antisperm
antibodies which destroy her
partner's sperm
What
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about Infertility.
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