I. What Is Infertility?
§
Primary Infertility
o A condition or challenge experienced by the couple with conceiving
or maintaining pregnancy.
§
Secondary Infertility
o Secondary Infertility is the inability to conceive again after
bearing the first child.
§ Are We The Only Ones Affected?
o It is estimated that as much as 15 percent of couples have
difficulty conceiving.
II. Causes Of Infertility
§
Female Factors
o Experts agree that female factors account for 35-40 percent of a
couple’s inability to conceive and bear a child. o Female Infertility usually stems from ovulation problems such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Endometriosis and other Uterine factors, age (which correlates with poor egg quality), and blocked fallopian tubes.
§
Male Factors
o Male factors also account for 35-40 percent of a couple’s
inability to conceive and bear a child. o Male Infertility is typically a result of sperm problems such as low or absence of sperm cells, poor sperm motility (inactivity), and poor sperm quality. In some cases, it is also caused by a blockage in a male’s tube.
§
Unexplained Infertility
o Experts continue to study this condition and help couples learn and understand treatment options to successfully conceive a baby.
III. Fertility Investigation
§
Female Factors
o With the help of a fertility specialist, one must ensure that: § The female is ovulating
§ There are no problems with the uterus and ovaries
§ The fallopian tubes are functioning
§
Male Factors
o In assessing the infertility of a male, a fertility specialist
should be able to deliver diagnosis after a semen analysis or Semenalysis. o Semenalysis helps determine the normality of the sperm count. Semen is collected after 4-5 days of abstinence in a reputable laboratory facility.
§ Other Factors
§ Medical illnesses
§ Family history of infertility
§ Previous surgery
§ Lifestyle factors
§ Stress at work
§ Sexual dysfunction
IV. What are the treatment options?
§ Ovulation Induction, Follicle Monitoring, and Timed Intercourse
o What are the pre-requisites for this process?
1. There should be a good quality egg from the female.
2. The fallopian tubes have to be open.
3. There should be an adequate number of rapidly swimming and
‘good-looking’/quality sperms
o The chances of getting pregnant are at:
1. 25 percent for those who are 20-30 years old
2. Less than 10 percent for those above 35 years old.
§ Ovulation Induction, Follicle Monitoring, and Artificial
Insemination
o What are the pre-requisites for this process?
1. There should be a good quality egg from the female.
2. At least ONE of the fallopian tubes have to be open.
3. Total motile (active) sperms inseminated: 5 million
o The chance of getting pregnant is at 15-20 percent per cycle
§ In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
o This process involves the retrieval of the egg, fertilization, and
embryo transfer.
o What are the pre-requisites for this process?
1. There should be a minimum number of developing follicles.
2. The fallopian tubes are not required.
3. There should be a minimum number of good-looking/quality sperms
o The chances of getting pregnant are at:
1. 41 percent for those younger than 35 years old
2. Less than 12 percent for those who are 41-42 years old
V. Notes:
§ Depending on what factors are causing the infertility, specialists
begin with the least invasive and most cost-effective way of getting couples
pregnant.
o Years that the couple has been trying to conceive
o Types of investigations previously done
o Treatment options that have been performed
Source:
Anthony Marc B. Ancheta, MD, FPOGS, FPSREI
Are you struggling to get pregnant?
