About Female Infertility
There are different options to cure infertility considering the main cause of infertility. Treatments are usually done with the methods which have less aggressive risk and in case these methods don’t get results, other methods shall be used. Physicians will give the patient the necessary information to select the best therapeutic method after checking both spouses' infertility tests.
Signs of Female Infertility
Female infertility can manifest in various ways, although the primary sign is the inability to get pregnant despite frequent, unprotected sexual intercourse for at least a year. Here are common signs and symptoms:
Menstrual Irregularities: A menstrual cycle that's too long (35 days or more), too short (less than 21 days), irregular, or absent can indicate problems with ovulation.
Pelvic Pain: Some women experience pelvic or abdominal pain related to reproductive health issues.
Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding: Irregular periods, heavy bleeding, or no periods may signal underlying fertility challenges.
Hormonal Changes: Acne, hair changes, and other hormonal shifts might be associated with infertility.
Recurrent Miscarriages: Multiple miscarriages could indicate fertility issues.
Different methods of Female Infertility treatment
Female infertility can have various causes, such as ovulation problems, fallopian tube damage, uterine or cervical abnormalities, age, or lifestyle factors. Depending on the cause and the severity of the infertility, different treatments may be available, such as:
Medicines: These are used to stimulate or regulate ovulation, or to improve the quality of the eggs or the sperm. Some common medicines are clomiphene, metformin, gonadotrophins, and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone. These are usually taken as tablets or injections and may have side effects such as nausea, headaches, or multiple pregnancy.
Surgery: This is used to correct or remove any physical problems that may interfere with fertility, such as endometriosis, fibroids, polyps, or blocked fallopian tubes. Surgery may be done by laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, or open surgery, and may have risks such as infection, bleeding, or damage to the organs.
Assisted conception: This is when a doctor helps the sperm and the egg to meet outside the body, or inside the body with some assistance. The main types of assisted conception are intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). IUI is when the sperm is placed directly into the uterus at the time of ovulation. IVF is when the eggs are removed from the ovaries and fertilized by the sperm in a laboratory, and then the resulting embryos are transferred to the uterus. Assisted conception may have complications such as ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome, ectopic pregnancy, or multiple pregnancies.
These are some of the common methods of female infertility treatment. However, not all treatments are effective or suitable for every case, and some may have ethical or emotional implications. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor and weigh the benefits and risks of each option.
Pharmaceutical Treatments
In case there is a disorder in hormonal balance or if hormone reserve reduction causes infertility, pharmaceutical treatment will be used to improve fertility. Intake of fertility medications may improve the performance of the female and male reproductive systems. Even if infertility is diagnosed with an unclear cause, these drug intakes may contribute to a natural pregnancy.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
If the man's sperm needs help reaching the ovum, inserting sperm into the uterus at the appropriate time can improve the chance of fertility in the person. This technique is called intrauterine insemination or IUI. In case the sperm cannot reach the ovum, this technique is usually suggested. In this technique, the man's sperm is inserted into the uterus with the instruments through the vagina. This method can be implemented with or without fertility medications for ovarian stimulation.
Surgery
In case the fallopian tubes are obstructed or the woman suffers from implications of endometriosis, fibroids, anatomic problems of reproductive systems, or ovarian cyst, the physician can diagnose fertility disorder more carefully and solve the problem during surgery by opening the fallopian tube or extracting the tissue.