Contributed by: Abshar Faheem
Introduction
Infertility refers to a condition when you are not able to get pregnant after one year of trying. In other words, It is often described as not conceiving a baby after 12 months of regular sexual intercourse or unprotected sex without the use of birth control. For couples who are heterosexual, infertility can be diagnosed at least after 12 months or sooner depending upon other factors.
A woman who had at least one successful pregnancy in the past can also be diagnosed with secondary infertility. The cause of infertility may not always be due to female problems, it can also be due to male problems and other factors. In simple terms, Both Men and women are equally likely to have infertility problems.
When the cause of infertility is found to come from the female partner, it is known as female infertility. Infertility is a common condition that has been found in at least 10 percent of women and the possibilities of infertility rise with age.
There are a variety of causes and factors of female infertility that make it difficult for experts to find the exact cause behind it. Some couples may have unexplained infertility or multifactorial infertility. The possible causes of female infertility may include
- Uterine trouble
- Problems with the fallopian tubes
- Ovulation disorder
- problems with egg number and quality
- Hormonal problems
- Cervical issues
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Premature ovarian failure
- Scarring from previous surgery
- Endometriosis
- Cysts
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Thyroid problems
- Chronic conditions such as AID, tumor, or cancer
- Abnormal menstrual cycle
Risk factors of female infertility
Several circumstances can enhance a woman’s risk of female infertility. General health conditions, lifestyle choices, and age can all contribute to female infertility. Specific factors can include:
- Age
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Obesity or overweight
- Eating disorders
- Diet
- Exercise
- Exposure to some chemicals
- Mental stress
Treatment for female infertility
The treatment of female infertility varies on different factors including the age of the person, how long infertility has lasted, personal preferences, and general state of health. The treatment of female infertility includes certain blood tests, examination of the pelvic area, ultrasound, surgery, medications, or reproductive assistance. Your doctor may advise you to have frequent sexual intercourse or unprotected sex around the time of ovulation.
The doctor may provide you certain medications to regulate or induce ovulation. In addition, Natural treatments may also help you such as acupuncture, yoga, various vitamins (C & E) and minerals ( iron and zinc), Tea, essential oils, and a fertility diet.
A fertility diet may help to improve infertility caused by ovulation disorder. However, a fertility diet may not help with infertility conditions caused by blocking in the fallopian tubes or uterine fibroids. Some fertility boosting food items include
- Fiber-rich foods like vegetables and whole grains
- Eat a bigger breakfast
- Swap animal proteins with vegetable protein sources such as beans, nuts, and seeds
- Reduce caffeine
- Eat foods rich in antioxidants such as walnuts, fruits, vegetables, grains, strawberries, and blueberries.
- Avoid excess alcohol
- Avoiding refined carbs that have plenty of sugar such as white flour, white bread, white rice, pastries, sodas, and sweets
- Avoiding trans fats such as cakes, cookies, frozen pizza, french fries, doughnuts, fried chicken, and microwave popcorn.
- High-fat dairy like whole milk, cream for coffee and butter and replace with low-fat products like skim milk, nonfat milk, and low- fat yogurt
The bottom line
Good nutrition can help you to maintain a healthy body and reproductive system that may help you get pregnant. Consuming a nutritious diet and obtaining positive lifestyle changes can assist boost fertility and prepare your body for pregnancy. In addition, it’s really helpful to you all around. If you are working hard to get pregnant, you must start making healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices today. But don’t let stress and worry get you down. Talk to your healthcare team to find the best choices for you.
