In order to understand what fertility treatment options are out there, you must first learn about the different causes of infertility — the failure to conceive (regardless of cause) after one year of trying.
Here are just a few of the most common causes.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which the endometrium — the tissue that lines the uterus — grows outside the uterus. It continues to act as it normally would, but because the displaced tissue has no way to leave the body (as would typically happen during menstruation), it becomes trapped. This irritates the surrounding tissue, and could eventually develop scar tissue and adhesions. It’s so common that about 13.6 million women in the U.S. alone suffer from mild to severe endometriosis. What’s more, endometriosis affects about 10% of infertile couples.
Tubal Ligation
The most common reason for tubal infertility is previous tubal ligation for sterilization, or as it’s colloquially referred to, having your tubes tied. Fortunately, tubal reversal is possible. Tuboplasty, for example, is one of the best tubal ligation reversal fertility treatments. It results in improved and precise reapproximation and reanastomosis of the tubal portions that are undamaged. However, there are some procedures that can permanently cause infertility. In such cases tuboplasty can’t help, and it’s often recommended that women use in vitro fertilization to become pregnant.
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
Primary ovarian insufficiency, which is also known as early menopause, is also a common reason for infertility. It occurs when the ovaries stop working, and menstruation ceases before age 40. Although the actual cause of primary ovarian insufficiency is unknown, there are certain conditions that research has associated with early menopause, such as immune system diseases, radiation, or chemotherapy treatment.
These are just some of the most common reasons for infertility, but they’re not the only ones. If you’re worried that you may be infertile, you need to speak to your doctor. If one of these issues sounds like something you may have, and you would like to find out more about possible fertility treatments, you should also consult with your doctor.