27 Feb Sterility and infertility: causes and treatments

By Reproclinic Editorial Committee

Infertility is a problem that can affect both partners and occurs when it hasn’t been achieved after looking for pregnancy a full year. On the other hand, infertility also consists of not being able to carry the pregnancy until delivery, causing abortions.

To plan a pregnancy and get the best success rate, one of the first questions the couple must ask themselves is whether they are living a healthy lifestyle. This point is of great importance, since being below the recommended weight or overweight, the excessive consumption of some products such as coffee, alcohol or snuff, can have a negative impact at the time of conception.

There are many causes that can cause sterility infertility and infertility. Approximately in 25% of cases it is due to a male cause. Among these, the main ones are a low production (oligozoospermia) or null production (azoospermia) of spermatozoon. Other causes may include lack of mobility and alterations in the shape of the sperm.

Another 25% is due to female causes. The female factor is much more complex: low number of eggs in the ovaries (low ovarian reserve), low quality of them, usually related to the age of the woman, organic alterations in the uterus or in the tubes, absence or irregularity in ovulations, hormonal disorders, inflammatory diseases in the ovaries such as endometriosis, etc.

Up to 30% of the causes are mixed. That is, alterations in both partners. And the most surprising thing is that up to 20% of cases do not reach a diagnosis after the first assessment.

How does infertility affect age?

For a healthy couple under the age of 30, the monthly chances of conceiving having regular sex are between 25% and 30%. This percentage decreases with the pass of time and also if there is a health problem. The most fertile age for a woman is between 20 and 25 years old. The quality of the ovarian reserve begins to diminish at 34-35 years and drastically worsens at 38, reducing your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby.

With the current rhythm of life, it is increasingly common to delay the age of having children and problems to conceive increase. Luckily, today, advances in medicine offer us numerous treatments to help increase the chances of conception. Although we should not forget that the advisable thing is not to postpone motherhood until later age, since during the pregnancy more complications can appear.

What treatments can I find to treat infertility?

As mentioned above, there are several causes that can affect fertility and to lead a healthy lifestyle is essential to increase the chances of success in fertilization. Nowadays these causes and their possible solutions are being investigated more. With medical advances and the creation of specialized centers to treat different problems, there are treatments for many of these causes, being able to help future parents achieve their so desired positive.

The most used treatments for a woman to conceive go from freezing eggs in fertile age to postpone motherhood, ovarian stimulation, the use of semen and donor eggs, among many other techniques.

Reproclinic offers different solutions depending on the case, from Intrauterine Insemination (Artificial Insemination), a more natural process compared to in vitro fertilization, to the vitrification of ovules or freezing semen.

What is the difference between treatments?

For couples with infertility problems, single women or with a female partner ideally in an age group younger than 38 years, Intrauterine Insemination (Artificial Insemination) is a non-invasive method that resembles a natural fertilization. The difference between Intrauterine Insemination (Artificial Insemination) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) is that, on one hand, in the first case the sperm is introduced directly into the uterus, whether it is of the couple or of the donor. This process does not require hospitalization or sedation and the patient can have a normal life after 10 minutes of rest in consultation.

On the other hand, in an in vitro fertilization (IVF), the creation of the embryo is done in the laboratory after extracting the ovum from the woman’s body and having obtained the semen sample. Then, once created the embryo, it is transferred to the woman’s uterus considerably increasing the chances of getting pregnant compared to the natural method or Intrauterine Insemination (Artificial Insemination).

Fertility problems affect millions of people in the world, however thanks to reproductive health professionals and their advances in this field, most women and couples can make their dream come true.