The Most Common Reasons Women Struggle With Conceiving

The ability to get pregnant and to bring new life into the world is a wonderful gift. It’s one that a lot of women take for granted since there’s a significant portion who have trouble experiencing it. Fertility issues are widespread, but there’s no one cure-all treatment for them. If you’re concerned about why you’re not conceiving, having an idea of why is crucial to finding the right treatment for you. Here are some of the most common issues and what can be done about them.

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Bad health habits

There are some bigger conditions that can drastically decrease your chances of getting pregnant, but the general state of your health has a large role to play, too. For instance, your weight has a lot to do with it. Both being severely underweight and being obese decrease your chances of a natural conception and healthy birth. Smoking contributes to around 10% of all fertility issues in women. Even diet can impact it, which acidic foods making your uterus less habitable, low fat-dairy interrupting your menstrual cycle, and alcohol messing with your hormonal balance. Most women know to take better care of themselves when they get pregnant, but it’s better to start early to increase your chances, too.

Age

As we get old, fertility decreases in both men and women. For women, it’s down the egg count first and foremost. We lose eggs every month, but we suffer a steep drop in our mid-thirties and another steep drop in our thirties. Preserving your eggs is a way to safeguard against the passage of time, but it’s a highly expensive one. It’s best to adjust your plans accordingly, in most cases. For instance, it’s recommended you only go to a fertility expert after a year of being unable to conceive naturally. If you’re over 35, however, it’s recommended you go after six months. Your chances of conceiving might not necessarily be lower, but you do have more of a time limit working against you.

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Ovulation disorders

There are a variety of problems with ovulation that can get in the way of pregnancy. If you’re missing periods without explanation, you should get it checked out. In other cases, eggs don’t mature fully in the ovaries or fertilized eggs fail to make it to the uterus. In these cases, drugs like clomiphene citrate can help get your ovulation back on track while finding IVF services that you can afford can help you make the most of it, leading to a 40% success rate in women under 35. Of course, ovulation can be affected by lots of other things such as weight fluctuation and stress, so trying to get an explanation of the cause and figuring what you can do to tackle it can improve the issue in the long-term, too.

Endometriosis

The endometrium is the lining that grows in the uterus, an essential part of creating the right environment for conceiving and nurturing a child. However, when that lining grows in the wrong place, such as in the fallopian tubes or along the pelvis, not only can it get in the way of conceiving. It can cause all manner of pain, discomfort, and cysts. Endometriosis can affect every part of a woman’s life, and more than 5 million women have it with the numbers perhaps being bigger because it can often present without any noticeable symptoms. There are a variety of treatments to help stop endometriosis including hormone treatments and surgery.

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Fallopian tube issues

One of the side effects of endometriosis that results in endometrial growth in the fallopian tubes is that it can block them. It’s not the only cause, however. STDs and pelvic inflammatory disease can result in damage, as well. Surgery can be done to clear and repair the tubes, but often once the damage is done, it’s too late and a removal might be necessary. You can still get pregnant through means like IVF even after a removal, and this procedure does have a few extra benefits such as decreasing your likelihood of ovarian cancer. Paying attention to the visible symptoms of issues like endometriosis, chlamydia (like pain when peeing or bleeding between periods), and PID (fever and heavy vaginal discharge) is crucial. The sooner you spot fallopian tube issues, the better your chances of repairing the damage.

Of course, seeing a fertility expert is crucial to figuring out what the causes truly are and how to go about treating them. Don’t forget that men have fertility issues just as often as women do, so make sure the man in question is looking for answers, too.

 

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