Fertility specialist speaks the conceivable truth this World Infertility Awareness Month
The doctor said 60 percent of couples fall pregnant by just making lifestyle changes, which include following a healthy eating plan and regular exercise.
WITH 34 years of experience in gynaecology and fertility, and thousands of success stories later, Dr Jonathan Hansen has made numerous couples’ dreams come true by helping them have their own child.
He is a director, gynaecologist and fertility specialist at the Natal Fertility Clinic in uMhlanga which offers a full range of diagnostic and treatment options for couples who want to conceive.
He chatted to Northglen News about the issues surrounding infertility, with the aim of creating more awareness around the topic this World Infertility Awareness Month, held in June every year.
READ ALSO: GALLERY: Durban North retirement village celebrates the Queen with royal bake
“If you are under the age of 30, infertility is the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse. If you are over 30, and have not fallen pregnant after six months of unprotected sex, you may be infertile,” said Dr Hansen.
He said the main causes of infertility in women are polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and tubal disease, and in men – stress and drug use. Leading an unhealthy lifestyle is also one of the leading causes of infertility in both men and women.
“Tubal diseases, HIV, hepatitis, and other sexually transmitted infections, as well as surgeries, can cause infertility. Female causes can also be related to endometriosis and an anovulatory cycle (not ovulating on a regular basis), ovarian cysts and hormonal imbalances, to name a few,” said the fertility specialist.
“With regards to women being overweight and struggling to conceive, the scientific reason for this is that fat produces estrogen of its own which tricks the brain into ripening the egg when it is not ready to be ripened,” explained Hansen.
“Fat produces estrogen of its own, but estrogen is only supposed to come from the ovary which is why women who are overweight struggle to conceive. The egg is being ripened when it is not ready,” he said.
High levels of estrogen also affect the lining of the uterus which makes it an unfavourable environment for implantation.
“When high levels of estrogen are present, insulin levels rise, which causes increased anovulatory rates, which in turn causes miscarriages,” said Hansen.
He added that 60 percent of couples fall pregnant by just making lifestyle changes, which include following a healthy eating plan and regular exercise.
He said, in the past, acknowledging infertility in men was almost taboo as people often pointed fingers at the woman if a couple experienced difficulty with conceiving.
“Infertility in men is very real, and more than 50 percent of men have a low sperm count,” he said.
“If we look at the generational fertility rate from grandfather to father to son, we see an increase in the abnormality rate of sperm and a drop in the sperm count,” added the doctor.
The most common causes of infertility in men are stress and drug use – which includes the use of marijuna and muscle-growth injections used in gyming. Sexually-transmitted infections and teenage mumps also contribute to low sperm count.
He said the first step to treating infertility is accepting that there is a problem.
“The couple must realise there is a problem and seek professional help. From there, a specialist can determine the cause and initiate treatment plans suitable to the couple,” he said.
