10 Most Common Reasons for Infertility

Let’s face it, it isn’t easy for some of us to get ‘knocked up’.

And if you can, and do, get pregnant easily – that’s great. But think about your sisters that find it a bit more difficult. Infertility seems to be everywhere now. There are more and more infertility clinics popping up – and even appearing on major tv ads now – so there is definitely a demand for them. A huge demand in fact. But what is actually causing infertility? Today we discuss the 10 Most Common Reasons for Infertility – and what you can do about it!

More Reading:  25 Unique Gift Ideas for the IVF Mumma-to-be

1. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (Female)

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a medical condition in which a woman’s menstrual cycles, physical appearance, hormonal levels and fertility are affected, due to an inbalance in the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. This causes ovarian cysts which are benign masses on the ovaries which causes havoc with a woman’s periods, cardiac function, appearance and, of course, fertility.

Around 10% of women who struggle with infertility also have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. There is no cure, but there are treatment options and things that can be done, in some cases, to help with fertility.

2. Poor Egg Health (Female)

Egg health, sometimes also referred to as egg quality, has a major effect on a woman’s fertility. In many cases having poor egg health is common in older mothers, with egg quality declining pretty significantly in the late 30s and early 40s. Women with poor egg health may have difficultly conceiving, or suffer with miscarriages.

Poor egg health is also a term used to describe eggs that have become damaged, or that develop chromosomal abnormalities meaning a woman cannot sustain a pregnancy. Women with poor egg health can use egg or embryo donation, or consider adoption.

3. Low Sperm Count (Male)

Low sperm count is defined as anything less than 20 million sperm per ml. Men with average or above-average sperm counts report that number or more in their samples, while men with low sperm counts often have significantly less. There are a few things thought to cause low sperm counts, including poor lifestyle choices (like smoking, drinking alcohol, stress, and diet), a genetic predisposition to have low sperm count, damage to the reproductive organs, or illness (such as cancer treated with chemotherapy).

Some fertility drugs can boost sperm production, otherwise couples can choose intrauterine insemination, injecting sperm directly into the eggs, or using a donor.

4. Endometriosis (Female)

Endometriosis is a condition where the endometrial tissue (that is the lining of the uterus that sheds during the period) grows outside of the uterus. This is an important aspect in many cases of infertility, and it can cause both tubal blockages and ovulation issues. Symptoms of the condition include painful periods, pain during penetrative sex, chronic pelvic pain, painful bowel motions and more.

However for some women the only symptom is infertility. Laparoscopic surgery can be undertaken to deal with endometriosis, and women can also look into fertility drugs and various insemination options to get pregnant.

5. Poor Sperm Health (Male)

Poor sperm health relates to sperm motility (i.e. the way the sperm move, tail whip and so on) as well as the morphology of the sperm (their shape, and the formation of the sperm and the DNA). Around 25% of infertility cases are caused by poor sperm health. The condition has many of the same causes as low sperm count, but not all men suffer with both conditions and it is entirely possible to have on without the other.

6. Blocked Fallopian Tubes (Female)

Blocked fallopian tubes describe a situation where blocked or damaged fallopian tubes are preventing eggs from getting to the uterus, and prevent the sperm from reaching the egg. The most common causes of blocked fallopian tubes are endometriosis, uterine fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, and sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia. There are no symptoms associated with this condition, and the only treatment options are laparoscopic surgery to open the tubes, or IVF to bypass them all together.

7. Ovulation Disorder (Female)

 Ovulation disorder is a term used to describe a ground of disorders during which women do not ovulate, or they ovulate infrequently and irregularly. These include both annulation, which is where eggs don’t develop properly and are not released from the ovaries’ follicles, and oligo-ovulation, where ovulation doesn’t occur regularly which can lengthen the term of an average menstrual cycle. In both of these situations women can struggle with fertility. Treatment options usually involve ovulation-stimulating drugs, IVF and fertility medications.

8. Anti-Sperm Antibodies (Both Male and Female)

In some people, and this issue occurs in both men and women, semen can trigger an immune response. That means that antibodies are created to kill off the sperm. When there are high numbers of these sperm antibodies, it’s difficult for the sperm to reach the egg in order to fertilise it. The antibodies can also damage the sperm that survive, increasing miscarriage risks. Doctors are not always sure what cause these issues in both genders, but intrauterine insemination, IVF and direct sperm-to-egg injection are all treatment options.

9. Combination Infertility (Both Male and Female)

If both you and your partner suffer from conditions that cause infertility, your health professional will call your situation “combination infertility”. As you might expect, this is simply a term that is used to describe a couple with both male and female infertility problems. It’s also used when one person has more than one fertility issue. In order to overcome Combination Infertility your doctor will look at all of the issues that you face, and treat according to their individual treatment plans.

10. Unexplained Infertility (Both Male and Female)

Unfortunately in some cases doctors simply cannot find a cause for the infertility a couple is dealing with, even after a full series of tests and assessments. At this point they’re determined to be dealing with Unexplained Infertility, which is essentially a catch-all term indicating that no tests have given a clear reason for their infertility. Doctors might recommend gaining or losing weight, changing lifestyle, diet and exercise habits, and even look at environmental toxins.

In cases of unexplained infertility, couples who continue to try have (on average) about a 15% chance of succeeding in the first year, and 35% in the second year following a fertility assessment. Age is always an important factor, with young couples having about an 80% chance of conceiving over three years. Otherwise, options like IVF and donors should be considered.

Have you dealt with infertility?