Infertility is a common concern among women who are trying to conceive. Infertility, or the inability to conceive despite having regular unprotected sex, affects one out of every eight couples.
Infertility is typically diagnosed after a couple unsuccessfully attempts to conceive for one year (or six months if the woman is over 35 years old). The good news is that, according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, conventional treatment allows 85 to 90 percent of infertile couples to conceive.
Infertility is frequently silent, but your body may indicate that you are unable to conceive. If you notice any of the five symptoms listed below, contact your doctor. They will assess your fertility situation and treat the underlying problem.
Lack of a period
After you stop using birth control, your body needs a few months to adjust. However, if you haven’t gotten your period after three months, see a doctor.
“No periods indicate that a woman is not ovulating and has little chance of conceiving on her own,” says Lorna Marshall, a reproductive endocrinologist. “We prefer to use medications to stimulate ovulation early on.”
If injectable medications do not work, the next steps are injectable medications, intrauterine insemination (IUI), or in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
Inconsistent periods
If you don’t get your period on a regular basis, you won’t know when or if you’ll ovulate. Frequent cycles are indicative of an underlying ovulatory disorder, which can make conception extremely difficult. T
The causes are similar to a complete absence of periods: PCOS, thyroid disorders, and hypothalamic amenorrhea, which occurs when the brain’s hormone-sending signals are disrupted.
Irregular cycles can also indicate ovarian reserve depletion as a result of endometriosis or early ovarian failure.
Bleeding in between periods
In general, you should only bleed during your period. Bleeding between cycles or after intercourse may be caused by a uterine polyp, fibroid, or cervical lesion.
Aside from the issue of becoming pregnant, a doctor should ensure that these symptoms do not indicate something more serious, such as cancer, which is rare.
Extremely heavy periods
If you use more than one pad or tampon per hour for several hours, pass blood clots larger than a 50c coin, or bleed for more than seven days, your period is unusually heavy.
“This could be a sign of uterine fibroids,” says Marcy F. Maguire, a reproductive expert. “Heavy periods are also linked to bleeding disorders and endocrine abnormalities. If fibroids prevent pregnancy, they can be shrunk or removed, and blood disorders can be treated with medication.”
Pelvic pain
Endometriosis is diagnosed when you experience painful period cramps, pain during your cycle, or discomfort after sex. With endometriosis, the tissue that is supposed to line the uterine cavity is found outside the uterus in the pelvis.
Endometriosis can cause pelvic scarring, reducing fertility and increasing the risk of ectopic pregnancy. Endometriosis may reduce a woman’s egg supply, so we may recommend a more rapid evaluation and treatment.
If you have pelvic pain, a fever, and an abnormal discharge, you may have an infection, which can cause scarring. A woman’s risk of tubal blockage increases when she has a pelvic infection. A test to see if the tubes are open should be performed soon after the couple begins trying to conceive.
Good to know: Even if you have these signs of female infertility, there is a chance you will become pregnant one day!
