Infertility – Sex, Age and Lifestyle Factors
Posted on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Symptoms of Infertility – Definitions
When a couple is unsuccessful at having a baby after 12 months of unprotected, regular intercourse, they are considered infertile. Infertility is defined as the inability to reproduce.
Members of the couple react differently after being diagnosed to be infertile. Extreme reactions are most noted in couples that are childless.
Infertility in couples who’ve never born children is primary infertility.
On another note, couples who classify under secondary infertility are those who have had a baby before but are now having trouble getting pregnant once more.
The Man Factor
Various physical and emotional factors trigger infertility.
Around 30 to 40% of infertility cases in men are attributed to maleness factors like retrograde ejaculation, low sperm count, scarring from STDs, hormone problems, environmental pollutants, and others.
Sperm count may be negatively influenced by marijuana abuse or use of prescription drugs, like cimetidine, spironolactone, and nitrofurantoin.
Femaleness
Pelvic infection, scarring from STDs, endometriosis, ovulation dysfunction, fallopian tube abnormality, tumors, hormonal imbalances, and even poor nutrition are some of these “female factors.” These are responsible for 40 to 50% of infertility in couples.
Factors contributed by both individuals and unidentifiable factors are responsible for 10 to 30% of all infertility cases.
It has been found that a small number, just 10 to 20%, of couples fail to conceive after trying for a year. It is crucial that couples continue with their attempts at conception for 12 months, at the least.
Factors Related To Age
Healthy partners both below 30 years of age having intercourse regularly only have a 25 to 30% probability every month to become pregnant. A woman’s fertility peak is during her 20s. The success rate for women aged 35 and over is less than 10%, and this even much lower for those older than 40.
Others Factors Not Related To Age
Age-related factors are not the only causes of infertility. The risk of infertility is also heightened because of the following factors:
* Having had sex with more than one partner
* STDs
* PID history (pelvic inflammatory disease)
* Men with epididymitis or orchitis history
* Mumps among men
* Vein engorgement in the scrotum
* Health background citing exposure to DES (both male and female)
* Eating problems among females
* Irregular menstruation and anovulation
* Endometriosis
* Defects of the uterus (myomas) or blockage of the cervix
* Long-term disease like diabetes
Other Useful Information
Read this to find out more on how to increase pregnancy chances .
Go here to learn more about insurance that covers infertility .