Infertility
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Infertility is the inability to conceive after 1 year of trying when the female is under 35 and 6 months when the female is over 35.
Cause of infertility in males include environmental agents, problems with sperm production or transport, low sperm count and motility.
Causes of infertility in females include problems with the production and transport of ova, endometriosis, and infections.
Infertility can cause stress and a sense of loss and inadequacy in a relationship.
For nonprofessionals, infertility probably means an inability to have children. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. A couple may easily conceive their first child, yet have difficulty conceiving again. Members of a couple who had conceived with previous partners may not be able to conceive together. Estimates are that about one in six U.S. couples meet the criteria for infertility. The definition of infertility is the inability to conceive after 1 year of trying with unprotected intercourse for couples in which the female is younger than age 35 and after 6 months of trying for couples in which the female is older than age 35. Table 14-1 presents the myths and facts about infertility.
The definition of infertility is the inability to conceive after 1 year of trying with unprotected intercourse for couples in which the female is younger than age 35 and after 6 months of trying for couples in which the female is older than age 35.
CAUSES OF INFERTILITYThe causes of infertility can be traced to either the man or the woman (Table 14-2). In approximately 30% of cases, the cause is attributed to the female; in 30% of cases, the cause is attributed to the male; in 30% of cases, the cause is attributed to both; and in 10% of cases, the cause is never determined.
Possible Causes of Male Infertility
Fertility specialists have concluded that male infertility has increased in the last 50 years (especially in Western countries) and have turned their suspicions to a wide range of causes.
Environment: Environmental pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the pesticide DDT may be partly responsible for reduced male fertility. Other environmental agents such as nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, and stress are also associated with a lowered sperm count and defective sperm.
Sperm production: Endocrine disorders can upset the production and balance of key hormones, such as testosterone, estrogen, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thereby compromising the production of sperm. Varicoceles is a condition in which valves in the veins that carry blood away from the testicles do not function
properly. As a result, blood pools around the testicles and generates extra heat near the sperm production centers, reducing the number of sperm.
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