Infertility is a state where the individual is incapable of bearing a child. Conception merely depends on many factors:
1. A man should have a healthy production of sperm cells.
2. A woman should release a healthy egg cell.
3. A woman’s reproductive organ should be clear from any obstruction.
4. A man’s sperm cells should have the capacity to fertilize the woman’s egg cell.
5. The fertilized egg should have the ability to travel and implant only in the uterus.
6. The embryo should have all the quality to mature to its full term (nine months).
7. A woman should have the ability to continue pregnancy to its full term (nine months).
Any one of these seven characteristics is missing or impaired, pregnancy would be very difficult to achieve. Traditional belief state that a woman constitute more of all the causes of infertility, but contrary to that belief, the woman only contribute about 1/3 of the infertility cases reported. Man also constitutes 1/3 of infertility and the rest constitute fertility factors between couples.
Many assumptions are said about infertility. But what really causes infertility to men and women? Let us discuss common cause why both gender are incapable of bearing a child.
• Infertility for men. The most usual cause why man is unable to fertilized egg cell is because of:
o Azoospermia is a condition where a man is unable to produce sperm.
o Oligospermia is the condition where the man has the ability to ejaculate sperm, but the problem is the sperm produced is too little. Sperm below 10,000,000 is already insufficient to fertilize the egg cell.
o Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition where in the man has chromosomal abnormality.
• Infertility for women. The most usual cause why woman is unable to conceive is because of:
o Ovulation disorder. The normal ovulation period of a woman is two weeks from the start of the first menstrual cycle. Some women ovulate without proper timing, meaning they can ovulate anytime of day.
o Inflammation on the fallopian tube. When a woman’s fallopian tube is inflamed, naturally the passage is blocked.
o Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. Pelvic Inflammatory disease can narrow the passage canal down to the uterus, thus preventing the fertilized ova in passing through.
o Congenital anomalies. The normal and most ideal shape of the uterus is inverted pear shaped. Other shape aside from inverted pear shape is would mean a very difficult pregnancy.
Though age is sometimes referred to as cause for infertility, but this has no or little significant. I have several clients and even family members who have had their first pregnancy at 42 years old.
If couples cannot conceived after a year of unprotected intercourse, both should seek the help of a professional to know and to cure the problem.