Difficulties in conceiving are not so common; however, about one in seven couples have difficulties in conceiving a child. There are various reasons for infertility some of which are easily remedied than others.
Difficulty in conceiving a baby despite having regular and consistent unprotected sex usually means that the man or the woman or even both are infertile. Usually it may take up to two years for a couple to conceive and, therefore being infertile cannot be diagnosed within a few months. Invariably one in seven couples does not conceive within a twelve month period of trying. Nevertheless, over half of these may conceive within one year without any intervention or medical treatment. In general if a couple does not conceive within two years of having regular and consistent unprotected sex, doctors may diagnose the couple as infertile which may be as a result of the man’s or woman’s infertility or even both.
In order for conceiving of a child to take place, the egg from the woman (Ovum) has to join with the sperm. The egg is released from the ovaries when a woman is ovulating. Ovulation occurs invariably fourteen days from the start of the monthly cycle. The monthly cycle takes about twenty-eight days. The egg travels down the fallopian tubes to the uterus in preparation of conceiving.
When a man ejaculates into the woman during sex, the sperm travels up past the cervix to the uterus and into the fallopian tube to fertilize the egg to complete the conceiving of a child. On conceiving, the joined egg and sperm form the embryo which travels out of the fallopian tube and attaches itself to the uterus wall and grows maturing into a baby.
Fertility problems can be caused by:
Problems associated with ovulation.
Ovulation is a requirement in conceiving a baby. However, some women do not ovulate permanently while for others, lack of ovulation is sporadic in that it occurs in some months and not in others. Causes of ovulation associated problems that hamper conceiving a baby are, untimely or early menopause, Polycystic ovary syndrome, hormone imbalance (of Prolactin and Thyroxine), weight problems (both underweight and overweight can affect the balance of hormones. Women with anorexia nervosa do not ovulate), Over exercising affects hormonal balance, chronic illnesses (Cancer, diabetes, kidney disorders), side effects of medicine or drugs ( chemotherapy, cocaine, marijuana), smoking. All these may directly or indirectly hamper conceiving a child in one way or another.
Uterine, cervix or Fallopian tube problems can be the cause of problems in concieving and these include, prior infection of the uterus and fallopian tubes (pelvic inflammatory disease) where the actual conceiving of a baby takes place, Chlamydia infection can cause PID that causes scarring and damage of the uterus that affects conceiving the child, previous surgery affecting the reproductive organs, fibroids that may be cancerous will also affect conceiving a baby.
Male problems that affect conceiving of a baby are varied and are mainly concerned with the number and quality of the sperm which is a vital element in conception. The causes of a man being unable to make a woman conceive are, being born without testes or the vas deferens, tumors of the testes, past infections, smoking that reduces sperm count, overweight hormone problems, environmental factors like exposure to x-rays, side effects of drugs (cocaine, heroin, marijuana, chemotherapy, anabolic steroids).
Other general factors affecting conceiving a child in both men and women are age (older women tend to be less fertile than younger women, older men tend to have lower libido), stress has been linked to inability to conceive in women and reduction in libido in men.
Getting help with being able to conceive may be considered however, a couple should not conclude that they are infertile until after two years of not being able to conceive and even then, medical help that enables conceiving a baby can be obtained.
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