Do I Need Infertility Treatment
If youre having trouble conceiving, an infertility specialist may be able to help. The first step after 12 months of trying to conceive is to schedule an infertility evaluation. This multipart assessment includes:
- Physical examination
- Evaluation of the uterus and fallopian tubes
If you or your partner have a known medical condition that affects the uterus, fallopian tubes, sperm or ovulation, talk to your doctor to see if you should be evaluated sooner. For example, if you know that both of your fallopian tubes are blocked, youll need to see an infertility specialist even before trying to get pregnant.
How To Stop Pregnancy By Safe Methods
Pregnancy results from sex. Women get pregnant after sexual intercourse. Some women prefer to prevent pregnancy due to various reasons like unplanned sex, no job, lack of proper life plan and no enough money to adopt the baby. Both married and unmarried women may want to abort the baby. Sometimes the husbands of the respective women may not want the baby and thus force the pregnant women to sacrifice the child for his whims. Young couples encounter this situation nowadays. There are many means to enjoy our sex life so as to hinder pregnancy until one is ready.
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Targeted Therapy And Immunotherapy
Targeted therapy and immunotherapy drugs attack cancer cells differently from standard chemo drugs. Little is known about their effects on fertility or problems during pregnancy. Its very important to talk to your doctor about any targeted or immunotherapy drugs you will get, and the fertility risks that might come with them, and any precautions that might be needed. Some information is known, such as:
- Bevacizumab can cause ovarian failure, and some womens ovaries never recover.
- Some targeted drugs have such a high danger of causing birth defects that women are asked to use two effective types of birth control while taking them.
- Tyrosine kinase inhibitors have caused birth defects in lab animals.
See Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy to learn more about these cancer treatments.
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Age Fertility And Conception
The most important factor for the chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby is the womans age. Fertility starts to slowly decline around age 32. By age 35, the fertility decline speeds up and by age 40, fertility has fallen by half.
The effect of mens age on fertility is less dramatic but is an important factor too. Men aged 45 and older are less fertile, and some health conditions are more common in children with older fathers.
Find out more about the effects of age on fertility and pregnancy health.
Just How Is Chlamydia Spread Can Chlamydia Stop You From Getting Pregnant
You can get chlamydia by having vaginal, rectal, or oral sex with a person who has chlamydia.
If youve had chlamydia as well as were treated in the past, you can still obtain contaminated again. This can take place if you have unsafe sex with somebody who has chlamydia.
If you are pregnant, you can provide chlamydia to your baby throughout giving birth.
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Health Problems That Could Be Affecting Your Fertility
If you have been trying to get pregnant without success, an underlying health issue could be to blame. Here are five common issues to have on your radar.
May 22, 2018
After a lifetime of condoms and birth control pills, it can be a shock if your first few months of unprotected sex dont lead to pregnancy. For most couples, the answer is just patience80 percent of couples who have sex two or more times a week will get pregnant within a year on their own.
But what about those who dont? If youre under 35 and youve been trying for a year , it might be time to see your doctor and investigate possible reasons why youre not getting pregnant. The answer often comes down to age or an issue with your partners sperm. But there are also common medical issues that cause infertility. The good news is, most are reversible with treatment. Here are five common health problems that might be keeping you from getting pregnant.
Don’t Wait To Ask For Help
If you’re hoping to get pregnant, time is of the essence because age naturally lowers your monthly fertility odds. Don’t delay seeking help if you are not able to conceive after 6 months of trying. Some people might not conceive on their own in 6 months but go on to conceive naturally after a yearor even 2 years.
If you’re over 35, don’t wait a full year to talk to your provider. Ask about fertility testing if you aren’t pregnant after six months of trying. If you’re over 40, talk to your doctor before you start trying. Treatment success also is less likely as you age the sooner you start, the more likely it is to help.
If no obvious cause of your fertility problems is found, your provider might suggest that you keep trying to conceive naturally for a few more months, then come back if you are not successful.
Your provider might order blood tests, an ultrasound, and a specialized x-ray, known as an HSG. For a male partner, a might be performed. Once the results of those basic fertility tests come back, you, your partner, and your provider can decide about the next steps.
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Reach And Maintain A Healthy Weight
People who are overweight or obese have a higher risk for many serious conditions, including complications during pregnancy, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers .1 People who are underweight are also at risk for serious health problems.2
The key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight isnt about short-term dietary changes. Its about a lifestyle that includes healthy eating and regular physical activity.
If you are underweight, overweight, or obese, talk with your doctor about ways to reach and maintain a healthy weight before you get pregnant.
How Likely Is It To Prevent Pregnancy
If you use an external condom perfectly that is, if you put it on correctly and use the correct lube with it its about 98 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, according to Planned Parenthood.
But in reality, Planned Parenthood says, condoms are about 85 percent effective when people use them as their only form of contraception. Thats because condoms might be used incorrectly.
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You Can Also Track Your Fertility And Avoid Sex During Ovulation
You could also track your fertility and avoid sex while you are ovulating. There are apps, like Glow, that you can use to track your menstrual and ovulation cycle. But this method is only effective if you take your time and really get to know your body. Instead, consider it as a good complement to other birth control options.
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How Can I Prevent Spreading Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Stop having sex until you see a healthcare provider and are treated.
- Follow your healthcare providers instructions for treatment.
- Use condoms whenever you have sex, especially with new partners.
- Dont resume having sex unless your healthcare provider says its okay.
- Return to your healthcare provider to get rechecked.
- Be sure your sex partner or partners also are treated.
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How Is Infertility Defined
Infertility is defined as the inability to become pregnant after one year of unprotected sex for women under 35 and six months for women 35 and older.
The vast majority of people will become pregnant within the first 12 months of trying to conceive with regular unprotected intercourse, says Cross. After six months to a year of trying depending on a womans age we recommend that a couple comes in for an infertility evaluation. At that point, its more likely that theres a problem preventing pregnancy.
Can Worm Prevent A Woman From Getting Pregnant
Can worm prevent a woman from getting pregnant? Although some types of infection seem to lower a womans fertility, theres evidence that women infected with roundworm have more children. This seems to be the case for the Tsimane people, who live in the Bolivian Amazon. They use little contraception, and the average woman gives birth to nine children.
Can having worms stop you getting pregnant? The team found that women who were infected with roundworm were more likely to become pregnant, while those infected with hookworm had a lower chance of pregnancy.
Can intestinal worms cause infertility? Protozoan parasitic diseases are endemic in many countries worldwide, especially in developing countries, where infertility is a major burden. It has been reported that such infections may cause infertility through impairment in male and female reproductive systems.
Can worms affect sperm? A study of sperm formation in worms may point toward a major cause of infertility in humans. A study of sperm formation in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans may point toward a major cause of infertility in humans.
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Toss Your Birth Control
Before you can conceive, obviously you have to stop taking your birth control. But it’s usually not as simple as quitting and then becoming pregnant the next week. You should stop using oral contraceptives, NuvaRing, or the Patch about two cycles before you want to get pregnant have an IUD removed a month before and let the last dose of injectable forms of birth control, like Depo-Provera, wear off three months before conception, says Lisa Mazzullo, M.D., co-author of Before Your Pregnancy: A 90-Day Guide for Couples on How to Prepare for a Healthy Conception. This will give your hormone levels a chance to reset, and will allow you to track your period and learn when ovulation the time you’re most likely to get pregnant occurs. That said, some couples get pregnant right after stopping birth control. Always use barrier contraceptives so you don’t get pregnant before you plan to.
Begin Basic Fertility Treatment
Based on the results of your fertility tests, your doctor may advise you to go ahead with some form of fertility treatment. You could have success, for example, by taking a medication such as Clomid Femara , a breast cancer drug that increases estrogen levels or Metformin, an insulin-sensitizing drug that is used to treat infertility, sometimes along with Clomid.
If testing reveals you have structural abnormalities , or endometriosis, your doctor may suggest surgical treatment. They may refer you directly to a fertility specialist or reproductive surgeon.
Certain lifestyle changes may greatly increase your chances of conceiving while you go through treatment . These include:
- Quitting smoking
- Cutting back on drinking alcohol
- Losing weight if you’re overweight or obese
- Reducing the amount of exercise you do if you tend to work out excessively or are underweight
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Advanced Age Impacts Egg Health
One biological reason that it can be more difficult to get pregnant beyond a certain age is that the number and quality of viable eggs dwindle as a person with ovaries gets older. By contrast, partners with testes can produce 100 million sperm a day throughout their lifespan.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , 1 in 4 women in their 20s and 30s who are trying to conceive will get pregnant in each menstrual cycle. For women over the age of 40, only 1 in 10 will get pregnant.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Vital Statistics Reports show that in 2018, the birth rates for women between 35 and 39 years of age was 52.6 births per 1,000 women, and 11.8 births per 1,000 women ages 40 to 44.
Double Up On Your Vitamins
If youre thinking about getting pregnant, take a prenatal vitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. It helps prevent birth defects called neural tube defects.
But dont take handfuls of megavitamins or supplements. Too much vitamin A, for example, is linked to problems in a growing baby.
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Am I At Risk For Chlamydia
Have an honest and open talk with your health care provider. Ask whether you should be tested for chlamydia or other STDs. If you are a sexually active woman younger than 25 years, you should get a test for chlamydia every year. If you are an older woman with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has an STD, you should get a test for chlamydia every year. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men as well as pregnant women should also get tested for chlamydia.
Look For A Fertility Clinic
If basic fertility treatment isn’t successful, or if your test results suggest treatments that go beyond your gynecologist’s purview, they may refer you to a fertility specialist or fertility clinic. Because your fertility treatment likely won’t be covered by insurance, focus your search for a doctor or clinic on finding the best possible care that you can afford.
When you begin researching fertility clinics, make certain you’re clear on how much the initial consultation will cost. Discuss fees ahead of time if you decide to move forward with treatment. Remember to factor in travel and lost work time if you’re considering a clinic that’s not close by. Many treatments require frequent visits.
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Current Knowledge About Fertility And Antidepressants
1. Paroxetine
Studies have shown that Paroxetine reduces fertility in animals. However, animal studies are not always a good predictor of what will happen in humans.
In this case there are no studies in humans which suggest that taking paroxetine makes it more difficult to fall pregnant, though it can affect the way estradiol interacts with our cells .
2. Mirtazapine
Mirtazapine can cause an increase in the hormone prolactin. Prolactins main function is enabling the body to lactate ie: produce milk.
Higher levels of prolactin may effect the ease with which some women can become pregnant.
If youre taking Mirtazapine and having difficulty getting pregnant, speak with your doctor.
They can test your prolactin levels and if elevated they may suggest another anti-depressant.
3. SSRIs
Fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine are all selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and have been studied for possible interactions with estrogen receptors, estradiol and the estrogen pathway.
Fluoxetine
Fluoxetine was identified as a chemical that had weak estrogenic properties at lower concentrations and antiestrogenic effect at higher concentrations.
What that means to those of us without a medical degree is that in low doses Fluoxetine didnt result in much change to estrogen levels, but in higher concentrations it reduced estrogen levels.
Lower estrogen levels are associated with reduced fertility.
Sertraline
Is Having Sex Every Day Bad When Trying To Conceive
On the other hand, having sex too often can also cause potential problems, says Dr. Wood. If its for reproductive purposes alone, having sex multiple times a day or even every single day could cause burnout, and the couple may begin to view sex as little more than a pre-ovulatory chore, he explains.
According to one study, abstaining from sex for as little as one to two days helped to increase peak quality sperm, so taking breaks from sex might actually be a good thing.
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How Is Male Infertility Diagnosed
These tests can help diagnose or rule out a male fertility problem:
- This test checks for problems with sperm, such as low sperm count and poor mobility. Some men need a needle biopsy to remove sperm from the testicles and test it. For most men, this is the only test that will be needed in the workup of infertility.
- Blood test: A blood test can check testosterone, thyroid and other hormone levels. Genetic blood tests look for chromosomal abnormalities.
- Scrotal ultrasound: An ultrasound of the scrotum identifies varicoceles or other testicular problems.
What Can Cause Fertility Problems
When a couple makes a baby, this is called conceptionor reproduction. When a baby is conceived naturally, a lot of things must take place for it to happen. For example, we know a female is born with all the eggs she will ever have and theyre stored in her ovaries. Any change in how the ovaries work, or a change in a hormone thats needed to release an egg from the ovary during monthly cycles , can cause conception not to happen. In other words, there can be a body system malfunction that can change a womans fertility and affect her ability to get pregnant and carry a child through a pregnancy. Certain health problems, including cancer, can affect these things.
Females can be diagnosed as infertile if:
- The ovaries dont contain healthy eggs
- Hormones that are needed to help with egg release are disrupted
- A tumor or other problem might press on the ovaries or uterus and cause them not to work properly
- Damage to other parts of the reproductive system prevents eggs from being released, fertilized, or implanted
- A fertilized egg cannot grow inside the uterus
- Something happens that wont allow a fetus to be carried through the full pregnancy, causing a miscarriage
In many cases, cancer surgery or treatments can be more likely than cancer itself to interfere with some parts of the reproductive process and affect your ability to have children. Different types of surgeries and treatments can have different effects. The risk of infertility varies depending on:
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