Infertility: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

According to a recent study by WHO, approximately 1 out of 6 in the adult population globally struggle with infertility (source).  Infertile couples face difficulty in conceiving on their own. In hopes of conceiving, a boatload of people go for IVF.

Planning to start your journey of parenthood with IVF but have loads of questions about IVF treatment in Delhi? Nothing to worry about- We are here to assist you and make your journey delightful and smooth. Before knowing about IVF, we must have a better understanding of infertility.

What are the Types of Infertility?

There are two types of infertility:

1. Primary Infertility: When you are unable to get pregnant after one year of unprotected and regular sexual intercourse.
2. Secondary Infertility: When you’ve been pregnant once but now are unable to do so. 

What Leads to Infertility?

You might be wondering why infertility is a taboo nowadays. It’s a myth that not being able to conceive is a woman’s fault. You need to understand that males can equally contribute to the underlying reason. However, there are a bunch of common causes, both in males and females, that might affect your fertility.

• Age: There is an inverse relation between fertility and age. Your fertility decreases with an increase in age. 
• Lifestyle choices: If you’re not physically active or are overweight or underweight, it is likely to affect your fertility.
• Stress and Nutritional Deficiency: Your brain releases sex hormones that play a crucial role in normal reproductive functioning. A stressful life results in a decline in the release of hormones, making you incapable of conceiving. 
• Alcohol Abuse and Smoking: Using tobacco products has a significant role in decreasing infertility. 
• Other Reasons: May include sexually Transmitted Infections, radiation or chemotherapy 

Infertility in Females

Recent studies show that the most common cause of infertility in females is ovulatory disorders. Factors that may contribute to the female infertility could be:

• Structural abnormalities of your fallopian tubes, uterus or vagina that might prevent fertilization.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) causes hormonal imbalance in your body.
• Endometriosis or uterine fibroids or polyps that make the uterine environment unfit for the baby. 
• Unavailability of eggs either due to surgical or congenital absence of ovaries, poor egg qualities or insufficient egg reserve. 
• Irregular or absent menstrual cycle.
•  Genetic disorders

Infertility in Males

The most common cause of male infertility resides in the sperm. It could be the shape or the quantity or its motility. Other causes may be:

• Low testosterone 
• Erectile dysfunction or premature or retrograde ejaculation 
• Surgical or congenital absence of testes or undescended testes. 
• Injury or heat exposure to testicles.
• Tight clothing around the scrotum.

What are the Symptoms of Infertility?

How would you know whether your symptoms are associated with infertility? Other than not being able to conceive you might not feel any other symptoms. However, women may feel pelvic or abdomen discomfort. Irregular or absence of a menstrual cycle is another symptom that can indicate infertility. Whereas men might face difficulty in ejaculation. 

If you’re still confused about your symptoms, consider talking to the best infertility specialists for IVF treatment in Delhi.

What are different Diagnostic Strategies?

There are a handful of tests and examinations done to confirm your infertility. For females, it can be a pelvic examination to check for structural abnormalities or a blood test to confirm hormonal imbalance. Home urine ovulation detection test kits are also available to confirm ovulation. Moreover, Ultrasonography is performed for the evaluation of eggs and Laparoscopy for assessing your uterine environment. 

For males, semen analysis is done to check for sperm count, motility and shape. Blood tests can be done to check your hormone levels. Besides, ultrasonography of the scrotum is done to assess any testicular abnormalities.

We know these investigations may cost you a heap of money, but you may not have to pay all in one go. Look at IVF treatment costs in Delhi to manage your finances for a smooth IVF journey.

What are possible treatments for infertility?

You might be wondering what to do next. With the advancement in medicine, infertility can now be treated with Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). It may include the following strategies:

• Fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF). It includes combining a female egg and male sperm outside your body and implanting it later in the uterus. 
• Placing sperms directly into eggs i.e. intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
• Injecting sperms directly into the uterus- intrauterine insemination (IUI)
• Medications to induce ovulation.

You may want to find what is the best treatment strategy for you. Looking for assistance on IVF treatment costs in Delhi? Reach out to us at NANDI IVF and consult with our top infertility specialists.