Common Reasons Why Women Experience Fertility Problems
The majority of people assume it will be really easy to get pregnant and whilst some couples won’t have any issues conceiving naturally, others will experience fertility problems. It is more common than people tend to realise for women to find it difficult to conceive and getting pregnant can often take longer than anticipated.
If you have been trying for a baby for over a year, it is beneficial to speak to a medical professional or a fertility specialist to learn more about your current fertility and identify any problems that may be making it harder for you to conceive naturally. There are lots of different reasons why you may be experiencing fertility problems and to provide a bit of an insight in this regard, below we have listed some of the most common.
Medical conditions
One of the most common reasons why women experience issues conceiving naturally is because they have an underlying health problem. There are several different medical conditions that can affect fertility, such as; PCOS, endometriosis, irregular ovulation, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, yet these conditions won’t necessarily make you infertile. If you have an underlying health problem, it is advantageous to find out more about the different fertility treatments available to assist you with conception.
Age
Women who are trying to conceive over the age of 35 will often experience more difficulties than younger women and age can have a huge impact on fertility. Women are born with all of the eggs they will ever have and they will lose these eggs over time, meaning it is harder to conceive naturally as you get older. Not to mention, egg quality also declines with age too. Some women with a family history of premature menopause may even find that their eggs start to decline in quantity and quality much younger than 35.
Sexually transmitted infections
Lots of different sexually transmitted infections can either directly or indirectly cause fertility problems amongst women. When STIs aren’t treated, they can damage the reproductive organs, cause infections to develop and result in different types of diseases occurring. For example, pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection that affects the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries, and it’s often caused by an STI. Thankfully, catching STIs early and treating them properly can help to prevent future fertility problems.
Prescribed medications
Many people don’t realise that taking some types of medicines, especially for prolonged periods of time, can affect female fertility. Prescribed medications and drugs, like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, chemotherapy and antipsychotic medicines, can cause women to struggle to conceive naturally. Of course, the vast majority of illegal drugs will also negatively impact fertility and taking illegal drugs often makes ovulation more difficult, similarly to how heavily drinking alcohol does.
Unexplained infertility
Unfortunately, there isn’t always a reason why women experience fertility problems and sometimes, even after lots of tests, scans and further investigation, a cause won’t be identified. Unexplained infertility is more common than people realise and it can make it harder to create a fertility treatment plan. That being said, there are still lots of fertility treatments available that women with unexplained infertility can try.
Booking a female fertility test
Should you be struggling to get pregnant naturally and you would like to have a female fertility test to learn more about your fertility, don’t hesitate to contact us at London IVF and Genetics Centre today. We can provide you with a comprehensive check of your fertility, assessing the health of your ovarian reserve, uterus and fallopian tubes, and we can help you to understand why you have been experiencing difficulty conceiving.
Once you have more information about your current fertility, if you would like to explore the treatments available to help you start a family, we will be happy to create a bespoke treatment plan for you. Our fertility specialists will ensure you are empowered to make informed choices every step of the way with your fertility journey and the same consultant will remain by your side throughout. We pride ourselves on being transparent about all fertility options and you will always know where you stand when you use our fertility services.
