Not being able to conceive even after a year of trying can be a major cause of mental stress for all the couples. Infertility issues in women can result from a host of problems. Some of which may be physical and some hormonal. Even age is considered as a significant aspect in determining the fertility factor in women.
In India about 10 per cent, which means that around 10 million women in the country face difficulty in getting pregnant. As far as causes of infertility in female are concerned, they can be further divided into 5 major groups. They may be enumerated as below:
- Ovulation disorders
- Genital Tuberculosis
- Damage to Fallopiantubes or tubal infertility
- Endometriosis
- Cervical or uterine causes
- Unexplained infertility
- Medical illnesses
- Infection
- Birth defect
- Miscarriage resulting from DES Syndrome
- Abnormal cervical mucus
When it comes to ovulation disorders, there are 4 main reasons and they are as follows:
- PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome
- Hypothalamic dysfunction
- Premature ovarian failure
- High prolactin levels
It is said that ovulation related disorders account for 25 to 30 per cent of the cases of female infertility. Excessive weight gain, mental stress, eating disorders resulting in bulimia, anorexia, thyroid gland issues, a cyst or tumor can even cause ovulation problems. You could suffer from tubal infertility due to a number of reasons. Some of the reasons might be:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Previous surgery in the pelvic or abdominal area
- Pelvic tuberculosis is very common in india
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Poi or primary ovary insufficiency
- Autoimmune disorders
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Blocked Fallopian tubes
Symptoms of female infertility
The most prominent female infertility symptom is that you are unable to get pregnant. In these cases, it is natural to have a menstrual cycle that is too long at 35 days or longer. At times, it could be too short as well – at 21 days or fewer. It can be irregular or it may not happen altogether as well. All these can mean that you are not ovulating properly. Normally, there are no other symptoms of such infertility. It is significant to get in touch with your healthcare provider who will then examine the symptoms.
Uneasiness or pain during intercourse, abnormal vaginal bleeding, itching and soreness in your vagina or in its surrounding area, or any unusual discharge should be diagnosed immediately
Treatment options for female infertility
The female infertility treatment normally depends on a number of factors. They may be enumerated as below:
- Cause of infertility
- Your age
- How long you have been unable to give birth
- Personal preferences
It needs to be acknowledged in this context that infertility is a disorder with a significant amount of complexity. There is a lot of commitment that you have to make in this regard and that too for the long haul.
As far as treatment of female infertility is concerned there are three main ways in which you can go about it. They are fertility restoration where you use fertility drugs to stimulate ovulation in the patient, fertility restoration through surgery, and reproductive assistance. As far as medicines to restore female fertility are concerned, there are some major names that may be enumerated as below:
- Clomiphene citrate
- Gonadotropins
- Metformin
- Letrozole
- Bromocriptine
Among the various forms of reproductive assistance treatments, the most prominent are assisted reproductive technology and intrauterine insemination (IUI).
There are some risks that are associated with the consumption of fertility drugs. They may be enumerated as below:
- Pregnancy with multiples
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
- Ovarian tumors
How to treat female infertility naturally?
As has been said already, fertility issues are common in up to 15 per cent of couples in the world. Thankfully, there are some natural ways in which you can increase your fertility rate. They would help you get pregnant in a shorter span of time. They may be mentioned as below:
- Eating foods that have lots of antioxidants
- Eating a bigger breakfast
- Avoiding trans fats
- Cutting down on carbs
- Eating less refined carbs
- Eating more fiber
- Swapping protein sources
- Choosing dairy that is rich in fat
- Consuming multivitamins
- Taking on an active lifestyle
- Taking time to relax
- Maintaining proper weight
- Exercising moderately
- Cutting down on caffeine
- Having a healthy weight
- Increasing your iron intake
It has been seen that if you can make changes to your lifestyle and diet it could up your fertility by around 69 per cent. It has been seen that foods that are rich in antioxidants such as zinc and foliate can improve fertility in both women and men. The antioxidants normally deactivate the free radicals in your body. These free radicals damage both egg cells and sperm in the human body.
Diet plan for female infertility
When you are trying to treat female infertility, you need to stay away from harmful items such as cigarettes and alcohol. You must also reduce caffeine intake. There are some vegetables and fruits that can be really helpful in this particular regard. They may be enumerated as below:
- Leafy greens
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Quinoa
- Fish
- Citrus fruits
- Berries
If possible, you should also take supplements such as folate and vitamin D. It is very important to have a proper diet plan in this particular regard. When you have a proper diet to increase your fertility it is easier for you to adopt habits that are healthy for you. Seek proper guidance from your health care provider who would be able to provide the right tips.
Now, you may be wondering as to why it is important for you to have a proper diet plan when you are trying to address your fertility issues. Well, doctors would tell you that this happens to be an important part of preconception care. You should have a ready made fertility diet plan as that would help you get into healthy habits.
Follow and like our Facebook Page for more such interesting information and updates. Visit here: https://www.facebook.com/KICBengaluru/
Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kic_bengaluru/
Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/KicBengaluru
For booking and consultations visit https://kiraninfertilityclinic.com/ or call us on +91-9900967627
Dr.Samit Sekhar.
Owner and Director
Fertility/Obstetrics/Gynaecology/Dentistry/Skin&Aesthetics.