Focus on female infertility
 AGE Increases with age; most common over the age of 35 |  GENDER |
 LIFESTYLE Stress, excessive exercise, and low or excess body weight are risk factors |  GENETICS In rare cases, may be due to a chromosomal abnormality |
Inability of a woman to conceive with a partner of normal fertility
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About half of all couples who experience difficulties conceiving do so as a result of female infertility. Fertility in women decreases with age and is generally lower after the age of 35, making conception more difficult.
For conception to occur, all of the following steps must take place: ovulation (the production and release of a mature egg by an ovary), fertilization of the egg by a sperm, transport of the fertilized egg along the fallopian tube to the uterus, and implantation of the fertilized egg in the lining of the uterus. If any stage does not occur or is interrupted, conception cannot take place.
What are the causes of female infertility?
There are a number of fertility problems in females that may affect one or more of the processes required for conception. The problems can develop at different stages of conception.
Problems with female ovulation
A common cause of female infertility is failure of the ovaries to release a mature egg during each monthly cycle. Ovulation is controlled by a complex interaction of hormones, including those produced by the hypothalamus (an area of the brain), the pituitary gland, and the ovaries. A common and treatable cause of female infertility is polycystic ovary syndrome, which may cause a hormonal imbalance that prevents ovulation from taking place. Very rarely, disorders of the thyroid gland, such as hypothyroidism, may also lead to a hormonal imbalance that can affect the frequency of ovulation. Pituitary gland disorders, such as prolactinoma, a noncancerous tumour, may cause a similar imbalance. Ovulation does not always occur in some women for reasons that are unclear. In some cases, women who have been using oral contraceptives for a number of years may take time to reestablish a normal hormonal cycle after discontinuing them. Excessive exercise, stress, and obesity or low body weight may be other factors that affect hormone levels and cause temporary infertility.
Premature menopause also results in a failure to ovulate. It can occur for no apparent reason or may be the result of pelvic surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. In rare cases, the ovaries do not develop normally due to a chromosomal abnormality, such as Turner's syndrome.
Problems with egg transport and fertilization
The passage of the egg from the ovary to the uterus may be impeded by damage to one of the fallopian tubes. This damage may be due to pelvic infection (see Pelvic inflammatory disease), which may in turn result from a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydial infection. Such disorders may exist with no symptoms and may be detected only if you have difficulty conceiving.
Endometriosis, a condition that can lead to the formation of scar tissue and cysts within the pelvis, may also damage the fallopian tubes, preventing the passage of an egg.
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Posted 16.11.2010
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