INFERTILITY IN WOMEN

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obstetrician/gynaecologist kenya
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Its hard to wait around for something you know might never happen;But its even harder to give up when you know its everything you want.
                                           unknown.
Infertility affects both men and women .Today i write about women'
. Infertility can be caused by many different things.Approximately 20 per cent of couples experience fertility difficulties. In most cases, the couple can be helped with assisted reproductive technologies. No cause is found in around one in 10 couples investigated for infertility. This is called ‘unexplained’ or ‘idiopathic’ infertility. A couple is considered to have fertility problems when they have tried and failed to conceive for one year.

The pressure to raise a family can be enormous, and the thought of not being able to have children can make many people feel something is wrong with them.
Recognize that a fertility problem is a crisis. A fertility problem may be one of the most difficult challenges you'll ever face. Acknowledging this is a key to coping,
 Don't punish yourself for feeling this way. Facing and accepting your emotions can help you move beyond them.Don't blame yourself. Resist the temptation to get angry at yourself or to listen to the little voice in your head that's saying, "I shouldn't have waited; I'm being punished for having that abortion; I should have lost more weight or taken better care of my health; I shouldn't have assumed that I could have children when I wanted" or whatever negative thoughts you may be having.
People can get caught in negative thinking patterns that only make matters worse,
Instead of berating yourself, look forward to how you and your partner are going to manage the situation and accept it and then when you are ready  to look at your different choices available. Go into it with open arms both the good and bad. nothing is easy and being a parent is even harder but the sacrifice is  the end is worth it.

Most importantly ,Work as a team with your partner. You and your mate should help each other through this time and definitely not blame each other for your difficulty getting pregnant.This doesn't mean you need to feel the same thing at the same time everyone comes to terms differently the most important hing is to give space then come together and fight together .Thats what marriage or partnership is about.Work together. Educate yourself. Set limits on how long you're willing to try.
Decide how much you're willing to pay. Then always have a plan B.Get support from professionals

Causes of infertility

• Ovulation disordersInfertility is most commonly caused by problems with ovulation (the monthly release of an egg). Some problems stop women releasing eggs at all, and some cause an egg to be released during some cycles, but not others.Ovulation problems can occur as a result of many conditions, such as:polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – a condition that makes it more difficult for your ovaries to produce an eggthyroid problems – both an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) and an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) can prevent ovulationpremature ovarian failure – where a woman’s ovaries stop working before she is 40
• Damage to your fallopian tubes. These structures carry eggs from your ovaries, which produce eggs, to the uterus, where the baby develops. They can get damaged when scars form after pelvic infections, endometriosis, and pelvic surgery. That can prevent sperm from reaching an egg.
• Hormonal problems. You may not be getting pregnant because your body isn't going through the usual hormone changes that lead to the release of an egg from the ovary and the thickening of the lining of the uterus.
• Cervical issues. Some women have a condition that prevents sperm from passing through the cervical canal.
• Uterine trouble. You may have polyps and fibroids that interfere with getting pregnant. Uterine polyps and fibroids happen when too many cells grow in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus.
• Unexplained" infertility. For about 20% of couples who have infertility problems, the exact causes are never pinpointed.
• Scarring from surgery Pelvic surgery can sometimes cause damage and scarring to the fallopian tubes.Cervical surgery can also sometimes cause scarring, or shorten the cervix (the neck of the womb).
• Cervical mucus defect When you are ovulating, mucus in your cervix becomes thinner so that sperm can swim through it more easily. If there is a problem with your mucus, it can make it harder to conceive.
• Submucosal fibroids Fibroid s are benign (non-cancerous) tumours that grow in, or around, the womb. Submucosal fibroids develop in the muscle beneath the inner lining of the womb wall and grow into the middle of the womb.Submucosal fibroids can reduce fertility, although exactly how they do this is not yet known. It is possible that a fibroid may prevent an embryo from implanting itself into your womb.
• Endometriosis is a condition where small pieces of the womb lining, known as the endometrium, start growing in other places, such as the ovaries.This can cause infertility because the new growths form adhesions (sticky areas of tissue) or cysts (fluid-filled sacs) that can block or distort the pelvis. These make it difficult for an egg to be released and become implanted into the womb.It can disturb the way that a follicle (fluid-filled space in which an egg develops) matures and releases an egg.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the upper female genital tract, which includes the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries. It is often the result of a sexually transmitted infection (STI). PID can damage and scar the fallopian tubes, making it virtually impossible for an egg to travel down into the womb.
• SterilisationSome women choose to be sterilised if they do not wish to have any more children.Sterilisation involves blocking the fallopian tubes to make it impossible for an egg to travel to the womb. This process is rarely reversible, and if you do have a sterilisation reversed, it will not necessarily mean that you will become fertile again.
• Medicines and drugsThe side effects of some types of medication and drugs can affect your fertility. These medicines are outlined below.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Long-term use or a high dosage of NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, can make it more difficult for you to conceive.Chemotherapy. Medicines used for chemotherapy (a treatment for cancer) can sometimes cause ovarian failure, which means your ovaries will no longer be able to function properly. Ovarian failure can be permanent.Neuroleptic medicines are antipsychotic medicines often used to treat psychosis. They can sometimes cause missed periods or infertility.Spironolactone – this is a type of medicine used to treat fluid retention (oedema). Fertility should recover around two months after you stop taking spironolactone.Illegal drugs such as marijuana and cocaine can seriously affect fertility, making ovulation (the monthly cycle where an egg is released from the ovaries) more difficult.
• Age Infertility in women is also linked to age. The biggest decrease in fertility begins during the mid-thirties. Among women who are 35, 95% will get pregnant after three years of having regular unprotected sex. For women who are 38, only 75% will get pregnant after three years of having regular unprotected sex.

Infertility in both men and women
There are many factors that can affect fertility in both men and women. These are outlined below.

• Weight Being overweight or obese reduces both male and female fertility. 
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)  There are several STIs that can cause infertility. For example, chlamydia can damage the fallopian tubes in women, and cause swelling and tenderness of the scrotum (the pouch containing the testes) in men.
• Smoking As well as affecting your general and long-term health, smoking can also adversely affect fertility. Read more information about quitting smoking.
• Occupational and environmental factors Exposure to certain pesticides, metals and solvents can affect fertility in both men and women.
• Stress If either you or your partner are stressed, it may affect your relationship. Stress can contribute to a loss of libido (sex drive), which in turn can reduce the frequency of sexual intercourse. Severe stress may also affect female ovulation and limit sperm production.

Options available for couples with infertility
After various tests have been done by a professional doctor to find the cause you can now decide the best way forward which include

• In Virtro Fertilisation(IVF)
• Fertility drugs
• Artificial insemination
• Sperm donation
• Egg donation
• Surrogacy
• Donor Embryos
• Reproductive surgery
• Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injections (ICSI)
• Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer (GIFT)
• Zygote Intra Fallopian Transfer (ZIFT)
• Adoption

In summery i would like to state the importance of seeking out to professional help  and join a support group with couples going through the same, and when the time comes love the child and give the child your absolute best  .