Most common causes of infertility or sub-fertility in women
Infertility or sub-fertility has many causes, and while the reasons may differ they do impact a couple’s chances of having a baby. It is therefore wise to know some of the symptoms or common causes and talk about it with your expert doctors.
Here are some of the common reasons for infertility or sub-fertility in women in India:
1. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS is a very common issue seen in India, which usually leads to hormonal disturbances, which in turn leads to problems with egg growth and release leading to anovulation. Women with PCOS produce higher-than-normal amounts of male hormones. This hormone imbalance causes them to skip menstrual periods and makes it harder for them to get pregnant.
2. Age and subfertility: The fertility in women begins to drop as they grow older. Women are most fertile in their 20’s and once they are in the age range of 32-35, their fertility begins to drop. And as they grow older it becomes more difficult with the quantity and quality of fertile eggs being impacted. It is thus advisable that if you are someone in that age range seeking to start a family, you should seek out a fertility expert sooner.
3. Problems in the uterus or fallopian tubes can prevent the egg from traveling from the ovary to the tube where the process of fertilisation takes place and the fertilised egg reaches the womb in a few days time to develop in the womb. If the egg does not travel, it can be harder to conceive naturally.
- Scarring or damage to the fallopian tubes secondary to infection and in India tuberculosis is a common cause of tubal block.
- Fibroids, benign or non-cancerous tumors occur in the muscular wall of the uterus can also impair fertility.
4. Endometriosis is a disorder in which tissue/cells that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. It most commonly involves ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining the pelvis.
5. Another reason could that that eggs and sperms do not mix and hence the process of fertilisation does not take place. This can be a cause of subfertility in some couples.
6. There are some other reasons as well which present as unexplained subfertility-which is the diagnosis given when the sperm count is ok, ovulation is happening and tubes are working fine but still, the couple can’t conceive. This could be because the quality of eggs can be poor or there are issues with fertilisation process. The risk is higher in older women.
7. If the woman/ man is a cancer survivor also the fertility can be impaired due to the treatment and hence it is important to reach out to a fertility specialist if you are planning to start a family.
While the above-cited reasons are the most common causes of female infertility, all of these causes can be worked around if you decide to confer with a specialist sooner. Whether you are aware or not aware of a problem, we recommend going for a consult to plan your pregnancy better.
We hope this information is helpful. For a more detailed discussion, email us or simply make an appointment.