Most common reasons for infertility

Dr. Vyjayanthi is a fertility specialist running her clinic Mother To Be in Madhapur, Hyderabad.

The problem of infertility lies both in men and women, equally. When couples have fertility issues, both the partners need to consult a doctor. When taking an appointment with a doctor, make sure to meet a fertility specialist who has specialised training in Reproductive medicine.

The most common problem in women is anovulation in which there are issues with  egg growth and rupture due to hormonal issues and many of these women have a medical problem called PCOS. The usual treatment for this is facilitating egg growth through medications though some women might also require hormone injections. Once ovulation is achieved, there are about 20% chances of pregnancy in a cycle.

The second common problem is due to blockage in fallopian tubes. Minimal tubal pathology can be corrected with laparoscopic or keyhole surgery. However, if it is moderate-to-severe tubal disease or block  then the treatment option would be IVF, also called test tube baby.

The third common problem of infertility for women is endometriosis. At the initial stages we may use keyhole /laparoscopic surgery to improve the chances of pregnancy. But in severe cases, after the laparoscopic surgery, we suggest the treatment options of IUI or IVF.

Another common problem is to do with age. If the female is over 35 years of age, the egg count and quality of eggs usually decrease which may lead to not having pregnancy. This can still be treated with IUI and IVF.

One more reason is unexplained infertility, for which we suggest IUI treatment, and if it doesn’t work then we suggest  IVF.

The common problem in men is mostly due to low sperm count. If the sperm count is borderline low IUI is suggested, but if very low, then we suggest IVF. Alternatively, we recommend ICSI treatment in severe cases where the count is found to be less than 5 million/ml.

These are some of the treatment options for couples who have problems in getting pregnant.  Appointment here