Fertility Problems – Cause
The reproductive process in human beings is a very complex system. Everything has to come together perfectly for everything to workout. A very common and untrue view in today’s society is that infertility is mainly caused by females. However common this view may be, it is wrong. Infertility problems are due to both the male and female reproductive system. What people have to understand is that fertility problems aren’t only caused by females, but males as well.
Fertility Problems Involving Men
The most common fertility problem involving men is having a low sperm count. An even less common problem includes the absence of sperm which affects about 1% of men today.
Males and Females both have a pituitary gland that plays an important roll in producing hormones, more importantly stimulating the sex organ functions. More specifically for men, the pituitary gland releases hormones which stimulate the testicles to create testosterone. The amount of testosterone found in men is much higher than in women. The effects is shown through puberty when young boys start turning into men. Young boys will start to grow facial hair, and their voice may deepen. More importantly Testosterone is needed in order to produce sperm.
Other fertility problems due to low sperm count may include:
- Testicular injury due to radiation or toxic chemical exposure
- Cancer Treatment (chemotherapy or radiation)
- Antibodies which attack the sperm and in addition may perhaps be present in semen
- Sperm antibodies at times develop while a man’s sperm has been exposed to his immune system. This may possibly occur following a vasectomy, infection, or an injury to the testicles
- Drug, Tobacco, Medication Use
- Varicocele in the testicles
- Absense of a vas deferens (the tube that connects your testicles to the urethra)
- Ejaculation occuring into the bladder rather than through the penis
- Chromosomal Problems (Klinefelter Syndrom – where men have two X chromosomes rather than an X and a Y
- Genetic Problems
Fertility Problems Involving Woman
The most common fertility problem involving woman is dealing with the fallopian tubes, mainly dealing with an obstruction in the tubes.
This is due to:
- Infections (sexually transmitted diseases)
- Ruptured Appendix
- Tubal Ligation (getting your “tubes tied”)
- Endometriosis
- Scarring from past surgeries (cysts or fibroids)
Problems due to the Woman’s Uterus or Cervix
Problems in the woman’s uterus or cervix can be caused by these factors:
- Being born with a deformity of the uterus
- Having previous surgeries which could have damaged the cervix or uterine lining, causing a decrease in fertility
- Deformity in the cervical mucus (this can cause a problem in the way the sperm can move through the vagina and cervix)
- Antibodies to sperm in the cervical mucus, which can kill the sperm or hinder the sperms mobility causing infertility
Ovulating Problems
Some possible causes are:
- Hormonal imbalances
- Structural problems
- General medical problems
- Cancer treatments
One important thing to remember is that the possibility of having a miscarriage and fertility problems increase as you age. Woman usually peak around their late 20’s for being fertile, and start to decrease in their early 30’s. And an even more severe decrease in fertility is due to the woman’s egg supply aging in their mid 30’s. Males don’t have such severe problems as women; however their fertility decreases as they age as well, but at a steadier decline.
