Infertility

What is Infertility?

Infertility is the inability to get pregnant after a year of trying or the inability to carry out pregnancies to term due to stillbirths or miscarriages. Infertility can happen because of reproductive problems in both women and men.

Determining the cause of infertility is the first step in finding an appropriate solution. Your risk for infertility goes up if you’re aged 35 or older or have certain gynecological conditions.

What Causes Infertility?

Numerous health conditions can lead to infertility in men and women, including:

• Abnormal sperm function or production in men
• Ovulation disorders in women that affect how eggs are released
• Fallopian tube damage or blockage
• Uterine or cervical abnormalities, such as uterine fibroids
• Endometriosis, which causes uterine lining to grow outside of the uterus
• Being overweight
• Tobacco use or excessive use of alcohol
• Being older than age 37, or going through menopause
• Bands of scar tissue in your pelvis
• Cancer, STDs, poorly controlled diabetes, or other medical conditions

The experienced team at Capital Women’s Care can determine what’s causing infertility and design a treatment plan.

How is Infertility Diagnosed?

To find out what’s causing infertility in you or your partner, a medical expert at Capital Women’s Care will conduct a thorough physical examination and go over your medical history and your partner’s. Then, your provider might perform the following procedures:

Men

1. Semen analysis to check sperm quality, quantity, and mobility
2. Blood tests to assess hormone levels
3. Imaging tests to examine reproductive organs
4. A testicular biopsy
5. Genetic testing

Women

1. Blood tests to assess hormone levels
2. Ovulation testing using ultrasound or blood tests
3. Imaging tests to examine reproductive organs
4. A hysteroscopy or laparoscopy to view internal reproductive organs and check for endometriosis or scarring
5. Genetic testing

Your doctor will begin with the least invasive diagnostic procedure first to find the cause of infertility in you or your partner.

What is the Treatment for Infertility?

The best infertility treatment plan will depend on the cause, and may include:

• Lifestyle modifications, such as healthy eating and weight loss
• Treating underlying medical conditions, such as STDs or uncontrolled diabetes
• Taking fertility medications
• Minor reproductive surgery to restore fertility
• Artificial insemination to inject sperm into your uterus
• In vitro fertilization (IVF)

IVF is a process in which an egg and sperm are united in a lab setting. Several days after fertilization, an IVF specialist at Capital Women’s Care implants the fertilized egg into your uterus. This procedure is one of the more expensive options, but is effective for about 40% of women under age 35 struggling with infertility.

If you’ve tried to get pregnant for 6-12 months or longer without success, call Capital Women’s Care to learn more about infertility treatment options or book an appointment online today.

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