Millions of women want to have children and start families, but those dealing with infertility find it makes childbirth difficult or seem impossible.
Each year, 6.7 million people (1 in 8 couples trying to conceive) deal with infertility, and the chances of having these issues increase as you get older.
Women in the Lake Mary, Florida, area struggling to have children can get experienced help from Dr. Christopher Quinsey and our skilled medical team. For over 23 years, Dr Quinsey has been helping women with a range of obstetric and gynecological needs and has helped bring over 3,000 babies into the world.
You can overcome most cases of infertility, but knowing what factors may lead to problems conceiving can help increase your chances of having the child you want without the struggles this condition can bring.
Let’s look at the types of infertility, some causes you can encounter, and what treatments can help you get pregnant and give birth.
Infertility is identified in two ways, either as a primary or secondary type. With the primary type, a woman struggles to have children even after a year of not using birth control and engaging in unprotected sex.
The secondary type is the result of women not being able to get pregnant again after having at least one child.
In many cases with infertility, even women who get pregnant aren’t be able to bring a child to full term, either due to a miscarriage (in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy) or the child being stillborn (after 20 weeks of pregnancy).
Being infertile affects both sexes, but here are some specific factors women can encounter trying to give birth:
There are several diseases that can affect your reproductive system, including celiac disease, kidney disease, sickle cell anemia, pelvic inflammatory disease, and thyroid disease. Sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, can also affect childbirth.
Problems in your reproductive system such as blocked fallopian tubes, abnormal periods, endometriosis, primary ovarian insufficiency (early menopause), and ovulation disorders like polycystic ovary syndrome and ovarian cysts can impede pregnancy.
A variety of cancers can affect pregnancy, especially those in the reproductive system, like ovarian, cervical, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar cancers.
A sedentary lifestyle as well as obesity can complicate your attempts to get pregnant, along with other bad habits such as alcohol abuse and smoking.
Your body slows down hormone production after you get older, making the chances of getting pregnant lower after you reach your mid to late 30s. Your body produces fewer eggs for insemination, but other health issues as you get older can also affect your chances of having children.
Fortunately, women struggling to bear children have a number of options, and up to 90% of fertility problems are treatable. Here are some treatments that can help you have children:
Intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, cryopreservation, egg donation, and surrogacy are ways to help you have a baby.
Clomifene, metformin, human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), bromocriptine, and other drugs can increase your chances of getting pregnant.
Surgical procedures to repair blocked or scarred fallopian tubes or treat endometriosis can aid fertility.
If you have the risk factors that inhibit pregnancy or you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a while, it’s time to schedule a visit to see Dr. Quinsey. If you’re ready to take the next steps in adding to your family, make an appointment today.
