Definition of Infertility
Posted: Monday, January 18, 2010
by John Williamson
http://health-vitality.com
Infertility has been one of the growing concerns of our generation. A condition that affects approximately 6 Million American couples and 7 Million females of reproductive age, this figure has risen to 7.3 Million by 2002.
Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive or produce offspring for a period of six months to one year of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. Its occurrence in both men and women has been established due to multiple causes, among which are genetics and biological make up, environmental, physiological and psychological.
Primary infertility is the condition wherein a couple has been trying to conceive an offspring for more than six months, and has had no successful attempt. This is the most common type of infertility, as most couples do not figure out the condition until the moment they decide to try to produce an offspring.
Secondary infertility is a condition that affects couples who have already sired an offspring and is experiencing difficulties in conceiving another child.
Age is one of the common factors affecting fertility in women, and infertility is a condition that increases its probability as a woman gets older. When women reaches the age of 35 years old and above, the definition of infertility changes from a time frame of one year of unprotected sexual intercourse to six months of regular, unprotected intercourse. Difficulty in conception for women in this age bracket will most likely be encountered, especially if there is a history of gynecological and hormonal abnormality.
An addendum to our initial definition of infertility is the inability to carry a pregnancy to its full term and often resulting in miscarriage. The first signs of infertility are the inability to carry a pregnancy that will last more than the first tri-mester, and the difficulty to conceive or become pregnant despite several attempts.
The causes of infertility are manifested by the different symptoms of the of the condition.
In women, the infertility symptoms range from painful menstrual cramps during menstruation periods, excessive bleeding, irregular menstrual cycles, recurring pelvic infections, pelvic cramps, painful sexual intercourse to abnormal vaginal discharges.
These tell-tale signs that something is wrong often lead to diagnosis of conditions that may become causes of infertility.
PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome is a condition wherein multiple cysts grow in the ovaries and create a hormonal imbalance. With this, ovulation is affected and menstrual cycles become irregular.
Endometriosis is a condition wherein endometrial tissues grow outside the uterus and also affect the menstrual cycle due to menstruation backflows and tubal blockages.
Lastly, Pelvic inflammations are infections left untreated for some time and may in turn cause scarring and tearing on the uterus. The common denominator of these causes is that they cause abnormality in the hormonal and physiological make up of the woman's fertility system.
On the other hand, men experience less symptoms than women, aside from the recurring occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases and impotence, men's infertility can only be concluded once a fertility test has been done.
Many definitions have been provided to attempt to explain the incidents of infertility. However, medical fields have ruled out any concrete definitions, apart from the difficulty to conceive, to conclusively deduce the condition. It is a requirement to go through a thorough fertility work out in order to be diagnosed with infertility.
If you have been experiencing miscarriages, and you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant for over a year, consult with a fertility specialist to learn about infertility and to know your options thereafter.
Get the Best Advice and Information on What is Infertility and everything you need to know about what causes Infertility and alternative treatment at:
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