The first sign of infertility is the failure for a couple to 'get pregnant' for a full year of trying. There are many reasons for this, and one of them is aging.
And two reasons that aging reduces a woman's fertility are diminished health of her eggs and a reduced ability of the ovaries to release them. They also have a higher risk for miscarriage and other health problems that affect their fertility.
A woman's highest fertility is in her 20's, with her 30's being a time when she is still relatively fertile. She will start having difficulty conceiving as she gets into her mid to upper 30's. Miscarriage risks start to come into play in her late 30's. Fertility decreases appreciably in smokers and drinkers. With more women choosing careers today that put off child-rearing, aging has become the primary reason for infertility.
Infertility is categorized as Primary or Secondary: Primary is when a woman can't get pregnant after a year of trying and Secondary Infertility is when she can't after a year of trying - but she had already become pregnant in some year past.
Infertility runs at a fifty-fifty ratio between males and females, according to some experts. Others say that females have sixty percent of infertility issues. Statistically, ten percent of couples who are trying to conceive will have trouble, and four out of five will succeed within one year. A normal amount of time to conceive is up to two years.
In order to assess their fertility, many partners must both have complete medical exams done. Many of the males in relationships have the problem with fertility, therefore it's important that both partners get a complete physical.
The first tests normally done by a fertility specialist are for a woman's levels of FSH and her LH. (These abbreviations stand for Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone.) These tests are usually done on a woman's first and her third visits to her doctor. It should be noted that the tests for these two hormones - Luteinzing Hormone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone - can be done on the male partner, as well. LH and FSH are both important for male fertility too.
Routine tests done later on the female include ultrasound tests, additional hormone tests, and a cervical mucus test. Not done very much nowadays, the cervical mucus test involves testing the post-coital mucus lining the vagina for healthy sperm. One reason for the test is if the male partner does not want to be tested.
Ultrasounds are a good way to for the fertility specialist to examine the condition of the uterus, ovaries, and cervix without complicated and invasive examination techniques. Ultrasound can also be utilized to determine if ovulation has occurred.
Reproductive Endocrinologists can test for many other important hormones, other than just the luteinizing hormone and the follicle stimulating hormone. The primary ones are: androstenedione, DHEAS, total testosterone, progesterone, estradiol, prolactin, free T3, and free testosterone.
Treatments for infertility can be expensive and not covered by insurance, and it depends on what needs to be treated, and how far a couple is willing to go with treatment. A relatively common cause of infertility in women is PCOS or (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), which is treated with a drug called metformin in combination with clomiphene.
Another drug treatment for infertility (for the female again) is clomiphene for ovulation problems - inability to ovulate. Hormone shots are the next thing that a woman can try, although these can have unpleasant side effects such as bloating and feeling sick. But one of the most significant side effects of hormone therapy is having triplets or more babies.
In Vitro Fertilization (a.k.a. "IVF") is at the top of the most extreme measures that a couple can take in their effort to conceive. Expensive, emotionally and physically taxing, it requires daily hormone injections (can be painful), daily monitoring by a doctor, and regular blood testing. With acupuncture by fertility acupuncture specialists in combination with IVF, however, the success rate is very high indeed - one in three couples are parents. This can come with the 'cost,' however, of having to raise twins (one-third of couples who use IVF and get pregnant have twins). - 31802
And two reasons that aging reduces a woman's fertility are diminished health of her eggs and a reduced ability of the ovaries to release them. They also have a higher risk for miscarriage and other health problems that affect their fertility.
A woman's highest fertility is in her 20's, with her 30's being a time when she is still relatively fertile. She will start having difficulty conceiving as she gets into her mid to upper 30's. Miscarriage risks start to come into play in her late 30's. Fertility decreases appreciably in smokers and drinkers. With more women choosing careers today that put off child-rearing, aging has become the primary reason for infertility.
Infertility is categorized as Primary or Secondary: Primary is when a woman can't get pregnant after a year of trying and Secondary Infertility is when she can't after a year of trying - but she had already become pregnant in some year past.
Infertility runs at a fifty-fifty ratio between males and females, according to some experts. Others say that females have sixty percent of infertility issues. Statistically, ten percent of couples who are trying to conceive will have trouble, and four out of five will succeed within one year. A normal amount of time to conceive is up to two years.
In order to assess their fertility, many partners must both have complete medical exams done. Many of the males in relationships have the problem with fertility, therefore it's important that both partners get a complete physical.
The first tests normally done by a fertility specialist are for a woman's levels of FSH and her LH. (These abbreviations stand for Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone.) These tests are usually done on a woman's first and her third visits to her doctor. It should be noted that the tests for these two hormones - Luteinzing Hormone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone - can be done on the male partner, as well. LH and FSH are both important for male fertility too.
Routine tests done later on the female include ultrasound tests, additional hormone tests, and a cervical mucus test. Not done very much nowadays, the cervical mucus test involves testing the post-coital mucus lining the vagina for healthy sperm. One reason for the test is if the male partner does not want to be tested.
Ultrasounds are a good way to for the fertility specialist to examine the condition of the uterus, ovaries, and cervix without complicated and invasive examination techniques. Ultrasound can also be utilized to determine if ovulation has occurred.
Reproductive Endocrinologists can test for many other important hormones, other than just the luteinizing hormone and the follicle stimulating hormone. The primary ones are: androstenedione, DHEAS, total testosterone, progesterone, estradiol, prolactin, free T3, and free testosterone.
Treatments for infertility can be expensive and not covered by insurance, and it depends on what needs to be treated, and how far a couple is willing to go with treatment. A relatively common cause of infertility in women is PCOS or (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), which is treated with a drug called metformin in combination with clomiphene.
Another drug treatment for infertility (for the female again) is clomiphene for ovulation problems - inability to ovulate. Hormone shots are the next thing that a woman can try, although these can have unpleasant side effects such as bloating and feeling sick. But one of the most significant side effects of hormone therapy is having triplets or more babies.
In Vitro Fertilization (a.k.a. "IVF") is at the top of the most extreme measures that a couple can take in their effort to conceive. Expensive, emotionally and physically taxing, it requires daily hormone injections (can be painful), daily monitoring by a doctor, and regular blood testing. With acupuncture by fertility acupuncture specialists in combination with IVF, however, the success rate is very high indeed - one in three couples are parents. This can come with the 'cost,' however, of having to raise twins (one-third of couples who use IVF and get pregnant have twins). - 31802
About the Author:
Janet has been publishing helpful articles on infertility and pregnancy problems and solutions and pregnancy for years. Discover more about the signs of infertility and ways to track fertility with innovative solutions such as the Clear blue Fertility Monitor and other helpful tips on the website.
