INFERTILITY

Have you ever wondered why some women, especially couple despite having unprotected sexual intercourse do not get pregnant? Then this is a must read!!

WHAT IS INFERTILITY?
It is the inability to conceive after a period of 12months of unprotected normal sexual intercourse. But now a more preferable term is Subfertility is used, which is a situation where a couple has problems achieving conception. Research has shown that about 4% of women, who were initially considered infertile, got pregnant over the next 9 years without any fertility treatment.

WHAT FACTORS ARE IMPORTANT FOR PREGNANCY TO OCCUR?

The right number of healthy sperm has to be placed at the right place at the right time
The woman must produce healthy eggs (ova)
The woman’s womb and the tube must be functional, and sufficiently healthy to allow for fertilization and implantation.

IS INFERTILITY COMMON?
Research shows that about 1 in 10 couples are infertile. And of these 45% resulted from problems with the female, 40 % resulted from the males and about 15% no problems were found.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN SPECIFIC CAUSES?

Faulty eggs or sperms that can be caused by previous infections such as mumps or drugs such as anabolic steroids used by bodybuilders or anticancer drugs.
Blockages or structural problems of the reproductive tract that can be present from birth or acquired from infections.
Problems with intercourse or with the timing of the intercourse
Psychological factors such as stress, anxiety or adverse lifestyle.

WHAT CAN BE DONE WHEN ONE IS SUSPECTED OF INFERTILITY?
The first thing the couple will have to do is to see a medical doctor, who in the course of the consultation will seek to found out about your sexual history. If problems are found in the sexual history advice will be given but if not some tests will be ordered. The main tests are as follows
• Sperms test; aim to find out if the right volume, right population, right movement and the right forms of the sperms are present.
• Ovulation tests; which can be deduced from the history or by measuring the levels of some hormones in the body.
• Other special tests; such as doing an ultrasound to assess the womb or x-rays to assess the whether the tubes are patent or not.

WHAT IS THE LONG TERM OUTCOME?
Infertile couples improve all the time. And there are a number of options available to the couple such as assisted reproductive techniques. So seek treatment.

Dr Ato K Sagoe