Infertility : Undestanding the Terms

Infertility is a condition of the reproductive system that impairs the conception of children. It affects approximately 6.1 million individuals throughout the United States. The diagnosis of infertility is usually given to couples who have been attempting to conceive for at least 1 year without success.

Conception and pregnancy are complicated processes that depend upon many factors:
1) the production of healthy sperm by the man;
2) healthy eggs produced by the woman;
3) unblocked fallopian tubes that allow the sperm to reach the egg;
4) the sperm's ability to fertilize the egg when they meet;
5) the ability of the fertilized egg (embryo) to become implanted in the woman's uterus; and
6) sufficient embryo quality.

Finally, for the pregnancy to continue to full term, the embryo must be healthy and the woman's hormonal environment adequate for its development. When just one of these factors is impaired, infertility can result.
Is infertility a woman’s problem?

It is a common assumption that infertility is related to the woman, when in reality only one-third of infertility cases are related to the woman alone. One-third of infertility problems are related to men and the remaining one-third is made up of a combination of fertility factors between the couple or unknown causes. Unknown causes account for approximately twenty percent of infertility cases. So, this  the matter for both of you as a couples, not only for the women. Why should i stressed it out ? because in Indonesia, it's so easy to blame on the women, 
before taking appropriate examination from both of them.

What causes infertility in men?

The most common male infertility factors include azoospermia (no sperm cells are produced) and oligospermia (few sperm cells are produced). Sometimes, sperm cells are malformed or they die before they can reach the egg. In rare cases, infertility in men is caused by a genetic disease such as cystic fibrosis or a chromosomal abnormality. Now, the lifestyle has come to be one of the frequent cause of bad sperms quality. For men, you should consider your sperm health when you went to sauna, spa, jacuzzi, 
or even sitting for a long time at your work.

What causes infertility in women?

The most common female infertility factor is an ovulation disorder. Other causes of female infertility include blocked fallopian tubes, which can occur when a woman has had pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis. Congenital anomalies (birth defects) involving the structure of the uterus and uterine fibroids are associated with repeated miscarriages. Aging is also an important factor in female infertility. The ability for ovaries to produce eggs declines with age, especially after age 35.

So, whenever you marriage has past one year without any sign to concieve, you can start to consult to your doctor, otherwise, you can wait untill one year passed away.


Source : American Pregnancy Association

Miscarriage : Causes and Signs

Miscarriage is the term used for a pregnancy that ends on it's own, within the first 20 weeks of gestation. It also known as Spontaneous Abortion.

Miscarriage is the most common type of pregnancy loss, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Studies reveal that anywhere from 10-25% of all clinically recognized pregnancies will end in miscarriage. This occurs when a pregnancy is lost shortly after implantation, resulting in bleeding that occurs around the time of her expected period.

Most miscarriages occur during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. Pregnancy can be such an exciting time, but with the great number of recognized miscarriages that occur, it is beneficial to be informed about miscarriage, in the unfortunate event that you find yourself or someone you know faced with one.

If you experience any or all of these symptoms, it is important to contact your doctor or a medical facility to evaluate if you could be having a miscarriage:

• Mild to severe back pain (often worse than normal menstrual cramps)
  
• Weight loss
  
• White-pink mucus
  
• True contractions (very painful happening every 5-20 minutes)
  
• Brown or bright red bleeding with or without cramps (20-30% of all pregnancies can experience some bleeding in early pregnancy, with about 50% of those resulting in normal pregnancies)
  
• Tissue with clot like material passing from the vagina
  
• Sudden decrease in signs of pregnancy
  

Especially for the first pregnancy, it is important to get notice on these sign, but don't act paranoid since it can be bad for your daily activity.

The reason for miscarriage is varied, and most often the cause cannot be identified. During the first trimester, the most common cause of miscarriage is chromosomal abnormality - meaning that something is not correct with the baby's chromosomes. Most chromosomal abnormalities are the cause of a faulty egg or sperm cell, or are due to a problem at the time that the zygote went through the division process. Other causes for miscarriage include (but are not limited to):

• Hormonal problems, infections or maternal health problems
  
• Lifestyle (i.e. smoking, drug use, malnutrition, excessive caffeine and exposure to radiation or toxic substances)
  
• Implantation of the egg into the uterine lining does not occur properly
  
• Maternal age
  
• Maternal trauma
  

Factors that are not proven to cause miscarriage are sex, working outside the home (unless in a harmful environment) or moderate exercise.

What are the chances for having a miscarriage ?

For women in childbearing years, the chances of having a miscarriage can range from 10-25%, and in most healthy women the average is about a 15-20% chance.

• An increase in maternal age affects the chances of miscarriage
  
• Women under the age of 35 yrs old have about a 15% chance of miscarriage
  
• Women who are 35-45 yrs old have a 20-35% chance of miscarriage
  
• Women over the age of 45 can have up to a 50% chance of miscarriage
  
• A woman who has had a previous miscarriage has a 25% chance of having another (only a slightly elevated risk than for someone who has not had a previous miscarriage)
  

But there is no reason to think about abortion when you just got good news on your pregnancy, so just enjoy and live a healthy living for the next 9 months of beautifull moments of your life.