|
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.
Click Here for Dr. Whiting's Nutrient and Lifestyle Advice for
Impotence
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
CHECK with links :
What you always wanted to know
about Infertility.
Getting Pregnant at DIFC
|
