Female Infertility

Female infertility is still a taboo and frowned upon in society. Similar to other diseases, however, this condition is also common and curable. If we look at the figures, one-third of infertility is due to males, one-third is due to females, and one-third is caused by both or unknown factors. When the cause of infertility in females, is called female infertility.

Today, at least 10% of women deal with infertility of some kind. It is due to several contributing factors. Sometimes the causes can be difficult to diagnose. The treatments, however, are much advanced and the couple may still go on to conceive without treatment.

Causes of Female Infertility

To understand infertility, you must first know the steps responsible for fertility in women. For a successful pregnancy, every step should occur correctly. This includes:

Now, as you can see, several factors govern the fertilization or pregnancy in women. Even a slight disturbance in any of the above steps may cause infertility. The common causes include:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
• Dysfunction in the hypothalamus.
• Primary ovarian insufficiency.
• Damage to the fallopian tubes.
• Infection in the fallopian tubes.
• Endometriosis.
• Uterine tumours.
• Congenital uterine problems.
• Cervical stenosis.
• Obesity.

Fertility Testing in Females

If you are unable to conceive for a very long time, visiting a doctor for evaluation should be the first thing on your list. The doctor will evaluate both you and your partner to find the root cause. The doctor will also understand your past medical history to connect the dots better. Visiting a fertility specialist can be overwhelming. The checkup, however, is similar to other body checkups and there’s nothing to worry about.

• Ovulation Testing: The doctor will determine the hormonal levels responsible for ovulation. This will include a blood test and ovulation kit test.

• Ovarian Reserve Testing: When a girl is born, thousands of eggs are reserved in her ovaries. This test determines the quality and quantity of eggs available for ovulation.

• Hysterosalpingography: This test is similar to an X-ray. In this test, X-ray contrast is injected into your uterus to determine uterine problems.

• Imaging Tests: Other imaging tests such as sonography, a pelvic ultrasound, or a hysteroscopy evaluates other problems associated with the female reproductive system.

Treatments for Female Infertility

Based on your condition, the doctor may advise the following treatment procedures:

• Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): It is a process in which a single sperm is injected directly into the egg using a fine glass needle. The egg is retrieved from the woman and fertilized with the sperm. This technique is usually recommended when previous fertilization processes such as IVF have failed.
• Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Sealed Sperm Injection (IMSI): This is an advanced form of ICSI in which a specially selected sperm is directly injected into a mature egg.