Hormonal Infertility

Hormonal Imbalance is the leading cause of female infertility. The woman’s inability to ovulate and regulate hormone levels cause a production of too much or too less of one particular hormone. This hormonal imbalance is manifested by symptoms that are easily detected allowing for treatment to begin as soon as possible. These symptoms include irregular menstrual cycles, excessive bleeding or very little bleeding, abdominal and pelvic cramps, absence of menstrual period for stretches of time and excessive weight gain and loss. The following can result in hormonal imbalances:

  • Glandular problems like thyroid, pituitary and hypothalamus glands problems
    • These glands are the primary glands that are responsible in creation and production of reproductive hormones. They can be affected by birth-control pills intake, stress and diseases like hypothyroidism. Once problems are encountered in either of these glands, an imbalance will prevent complete ovulation process to take place, thus the difficulty in conception.
  • Ovulatory disorder like overproduction of “Prolactin”
    • Like glandular problems, overproduction of “Prolactin” leads to the disruption of hormonal levels. Prolactin is a milk-producing hormone that suppresses and interferes withovulation. The incomplete ovulation cycle called anovulation causes the over production of androgens. These androgens are termed as “male hormones”, overproduction of these, particularly testosterone, result in a lesser production of estrogen that marks and signals the ovulation process.
  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
    • This condition is marked by multiple growths of cysts in the ovaries, resulting in a hormonal imbalance and menstruation back flows. Less production of estrogen and progesterone necessary for ovulation results in lower egg quality and failure of eggs to mature. These failed to mature eggs become cysts and line the outer and inner ovaries.

Also, PCOS beckons the high production of insulin resulting in a type II diabetes condition and increased production of androgen.

  • Premature Menopause and Abnormal Cervical Mucus
    • Menopause in women often starts at the age of 40, if it comes earlier; it becomes a sure sign of infertility. Ovulating process goes well into the forties, POF or Premature Ovarian Failure accounts for about only 1% of female infertility. Apart from slowing down and cessation of ovulation process, menopause brings about a variety of bodily changes in women. Often, menopause is signaled by extreme mood swings, sleepiness, irregular menstruation and hot flashes.
    • Abnormal Cervical Mucus is a condition wherein the mucus lining the cervix and the uterus is not quite as it should be; the change in mucus consistency throughout the ovulation process is engineered mainly to aid in sperm journey and egg fertilization. Alteration in mucus consistency, with which the normal is thin and watery, becomes an obstruction for the sperm to reach the egg to ensure conception. With the low production of estrogen, the mucus becomes thick for sperm to pass or swim through. Specific reproductive glands are responsible for the secretion of proper mucus to line the cervix, and repeated infections and presence of sexually transmitted diseases are the common culprits of abnormal cervical mucus production.

The above are endocrine and reproductive related ailments that cause significant disruption in normal hormonal levels and ovulation process. The presence of these irregularities accounts for about 25% of female infertility cases. Around 80% of these cases are caused by inherent biological irregularities and 20% of these hormonal imbalance cases are due to psychological and emotional stress.

As defined, stress is any event in the course of our existence that provides direct threat and pressure to our well-being. With stress often come changes in sleep pattern, diet and mood swings. Women undergoing extreme psychological and emotional stress tend to sink back and forth into depression, which in turn triggers a fluctuation of hormonal levels.

Hormonal Infertility is almost a household phrase in fertility clinics. Learn more about the symptoms and early signs of hormonal irregularity in order to spot infertility as early as possible. Once the irregularity is corrected and the hormones are regulated, it is highly likely that couples would be able to conceive. Speak with your fertility specialist and tackle hormonal infertility with utmost optimism.


The Truth About Infertility

Infertility is the inability to conceive; it may be remedied. However, should the conditions persist, it is referred to as sterility.

In the United States, one out of every 8 to 10 couples are childless because of infertility; it is a major medical and social problem. Both husband and wife are urged to seek medical attention for complete examinations and evaluation, since almost as many men as women cause a sterile marriage.

It is usually recommended that the male be evaluated first, because tests for the female are more expensive and time-consuming. Such tests may require the services of a urologist, gynecologist, endocrinologist, and internist.

In the female, the organs of reproduction and the glands influencing them are evaluated. Among the causative factors may be displacement and tumors of the uterus, genital infantilism, and inflammation. To allow fertilization of an ovum, it is necessary that the vagina, cervix, and uterus to be patent and have mucosal secretions receptive to the sperm. Semen is alkaline, as is cervical secretion; normal vaginal secretion is acid.

Treatment is directed towards correcting the deficiencies encountered in the individual patient. The following tests assist the gynecologist in delimiting the problem.

1. Rubin test

This procedure is to determine the potency of the fallopian tubes by introducing carbon dioxide through a sterile canula into the uterus, into the tubes, and into the peritoneal cavity.

By listening with a stethoscope on the abdomen, the physician may hear the gas swishing into the abdomen. If the pressure gauge reaches 200 mm. of a mercury, an occlusion may be suspected.

2. Salpinogram; Hysterosalpingogram

A radiopaque substance is often used to determine the site of tubal obstruction; an x-ray picture then shows the outline of the tubal lumen.

3. Hubner test

Within an hour or two after intercourse, the physician aspirates cervical secretions with a long cannula. The woman is to be instructed not to void, bathe, or douche between coitus and the examination; a perineal pad is worn until she is placed in “lithotomy position” in the examining room. Aspirated material is placed on a slide and examined under microscope for presence and viability of sperm cells.

Treatment

The treatment of sterility is a difficult matter, because it may be caused by a combination of several factors. Efforts are made to build up the general health of the patient, supplying lacking glandular hormones as indicated.

Operative treatments include removal of obstructions and plastic operations to restore tubal potency. Unfortunately, these are not too successful; in addition, there is a high incidence of tubal pregnancy following such operations.

The psychic and social factors of infertility must not be overlooked. Among some religious groups and nationalities, it is important to have blood descendants; adopting children is not acceptable in these families.

In other family groups, the man’s virility, or woman’s femininity are suspected when a couple fails to have children. Many pregnancies have occurred after an infertile couple has adopted a child, moved to another location, or the husband had a change of jobs.

All of these things indicate that the concepts behind infertility are not absolute and concrete. There are instances that the information about this particular problem may have underlying causes that should not be blamed on the inability of the person to conceive.

Boiled down, the problem on infertility is more of a social problem than a biological problem. It is not the aspect of not being able to conceive that persons involved are hesitant to disclose the matter.

If it is more than just biological malady, then, it requires tough solutions.