What is Infertility:
If a couple is infertile, this means that they have been unable to conceive a child after 12 months of regular sexual intercourse without birth control
What Causes Female Infertility?
The most common causes of female infertility include problems with ovulation, damage to fallopian tubes or uterus, or problems with the cervix. Age can contribute to infertility because as a woman ages, her fertility naturally tends to decrease.
Ovulation problems may be caused by one or more of the following:
- A hormone imbalance
- A tumor or cyst
- Eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia
- Alcohol or drug use
- Thyroid gland problems
- Excess weight
- Stress
- Intense exercise that causes a significant loss of body fat
- Extremely brief menstrual cycles
Damage to the fallopian tubes or uterus can be caused by one or more of the following:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- A previous infection
- Polyps in the uterus
- Endometriosis or fibroids
- Scar tissue or adhesions
- Chronic medical illness
- A previous ectopic (tubal) pregnancy
- A birth defect
- DES syndrome (The medication DES, given to women to prevent miscarriage or premature birth can result in fertility problems for their children.)