As the typical family is changing, women are choosing to have children later in life, when they are financially stable and can be sure that they can give their children the best life possible. Or it could just be that a same sex couple, or single mother have need of assistance.
Either way, it can mean that becoming pregnant is not so easy and the new motherhood requires a little help from a fertility clinic. Struggling with fertility issues does not need to be the end of the dream of having a family of your own. There are many things that can be done depending on each person’s individual circumstances..
What are the main causes of infertility in women
If you have been having regular sex for at least a year, with no form of contraception and no resulting pregnancy then it is possible that there is a fertility problem in one of the partners that needs to be investigated by a medical professional.
Usually this can be around 40% an issue in the female partner and 40% in the male partners. The remaining 20% is down to shared or unknown causes. In women there are several typical causes of fertility problems.
There could be a problem with ovulation, either that the women either does not ovulate or only does so very rarely and have irregular menstrual cycles. This affects around 25% of women having trouble conceiving.
Another potential blocker to pregnancy could be the presence of a disease or disorder. There are many types of disorder that can cause issues, such as having polycystic ovaries or endometriosis. Or maybe treatment for cancer can cause problems.
It is also a fact that as women grow older the quantity and quality of the eggs produced falls, making it harder to conceive naturally. Add to this certain lifestyle factors such as alcohol, drugs, excess caffeine and poor diet can also have an impact.
All these factors are some of the many reasons why women are turning to in vitro fertilization for help.
So what is IVF and how does it work
IVF is different to artificial insemination, where fertilization takes place with the woman’s own body by inserting her partners or a donor’s semen.
With IVF the eggs are extracted and fertilized in a laboratory, again with a partner or anonymous donor’s sperm. The successful embryos are then reimplanted into the woman’s body.
It is also possible to do this with donor eggs for women who either can’t produce their own eggs or there is an issue with the quality of them.
The process is in two stages. First hormone and fertility drugs are used to interrupt the normal menstrual cycle in the woman providing the eggs, and then more drugs that increase egg production. When the eggs are ready they are extracted and taken to a laboratory for fertilization. Any successfully fertilized eggs are allowed to undergo cell division for a few days before being implanted into the uterus of the woman who will carry the baby to full term.
Speak to a specialist if you are worried
If you are worried about fertility issues, or you know that this journey will not be a typical one then it is time to talk to a specialist like the experts at Fertty. Call them and together you can review your case to get to the bottom of why there might be problems and what the best course of treatment could be based on your circumstances. Having problems with starting a family, doesn’t need to be the end of your dream of having children.
