What is infertility

What do you mean by Infertility ?

Infertility is a condition where the female partner of a couple is not able to conceive or get pregnant despite having unprotected sex for more than a year. This is the general definition of infertility.

Infertility doesn’t always mean that the male or the female partners are sterile. Some couples have had a child naturally at some point in time but may find it difficult to conceive a second time. According to statistics, infertility affects around 10% of women between 20 to 44 years of age.

Rapid advancements in medical science have made revolutionary treatment options available for infertility including,

Infertility Symptoms in Male and Female can be due to many causes. It could be because of a problem with either the male or the female partner or it could be because of a cause affecting both. In around 20% of infertility cases, both partners have fertility issues, while in 15% of couples; no cause can be found despite extensive investigations. This phenomenon is called Unexplained Infertility.

Relation between Age & Infertility

The most fertile period of a woman‘s life is when she is in her twenties. With increasing age fertility decreases.
In the case of men, their testosterone levels fall, as they grow older. Another fact observed in men growing older is the change in the volume of semen and concentration and quality of sperm.

A healthy couple, younger than 30 years of age and having an active sexual life without any contraception has a 25 – 30% chance of conceiving on a monthly basis.

Infertility Symptoms

Inability to get pregnant is the main symptom. But, there are other symptoms that may be noticed. The symptoms depend on the health issue that is causing infertility.

SYMTOMS OBSERVED IN FEMALE

Main Female Infertility Symptoms include :

Changes in the menstrual cycle and ovulation, which may manifest as
- Abnormal Periods: when the bleeding is lighter or heavier than normal.
- Irregular Periods: when the days in between periods vary every month.
- No Periods or Amenorrhea.
- Painful Periods or Dysmenorrhea where menstrual bleeding is accompanied by back pain, pelvic pain, and cramping
Hormonal problems: In patients who are unable to conceive due to problems with hormones, the symptoms observed may be
- Occurrence of skin problems, like acne.
- Changes in sex drive.
- Growth of dark hair on face, chest, and chin
- Thinning hair, or in some cases, hair loss
- Weight gain
Other Symptoms include,
- Milky white discharge from nipples, which has nothing to do with breast feeding
- Pain during sexual intercourse

SYMPTOMS OBSERVED IN THE MALE

The health conditions that cause infertility in males may present with the following symptoms

Change in hair growth.
Change in sexual desire.
Presence of lump or swelling in testicles.
Suffering from issues with erections and ejaculation.
Presence of small and firm testicles.

Why Choose Aikya ?

Infertility Diagnosis carries with it's stress and stigma in our society. The stress can be physical, emotional, or financial and it can be a very trying time for the couple. We understand that at Aikya.
Our team of professionals are not only trained medically but also on the human aspect of the diagnosis.
For us each patient is special and each case is different. Our doctors will meet with you and at your first visit you will have an extensive discussion with your doctor, which will involve a detailed history taking and examination. Only after that and after having looked at your previous treatment and investigation reports do we order tests. We have our own pharmacy, laboratory, scanning center and Operation Theater at the clinic premises, so that all your needs are met under one roof. You will also meet with our experienced counselor who will counsel you regarding the treatment options and costs. Your counselor will be available to you throughout the course of treatment to handle any enquiries or worries that you may have.

Authored By Dr. Sunil Eshwar Medical disclaimer: For information purposes only