Firstly, we should probably add something of a disclaimer to this article. While we are going to analyze some of the most common infertility causes for women, it’s worth mentioning that they are just as likely as men to suffer difficulties in this regard. In fact, one study found that there was an even chance.
Nevertheless, infertility amongst women is a hot-talking point. Over recent times there has been even more coverage of it, especially after the advancements made by Kwang Yul Cha and his findings.
Bearing this in mind, let’s now take a look at some of the leading medical causes behind infertility to women.
The blockage of fallopian tubes
The first cause is when the fallopian tubes are either damaged or blocked. Most of the time, this can be caused due to pelvic inflammatory disease, which tends to happen after a sexually transmitted infection or endometriosis.
Ovulation disorders
Another common cause behind infertility in women are ovulation disorders. In simple terms, these refer to a condition which affects how the egg is released from ovaries.
Unfortunately, there are countless causes behind an ovulation disorder. Some women may suffer because they have either too much or too little of the thyroid hormone – which is referred to as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism respectively. Other possible causes are polycystic ovary syndrome and hyperprolactinemia, with the latter being a condition which involves the woman having too much of the hormone which helps produce milk.
Abnormalities surrounding the cervix and uterus
Again, there are lots of abnormalities that affect problems surrounding the cervix and uterus as well.
In the case of the uterus, anything which affects the opening of it can have the knock-on effect of making a woman less likely to conceive.
As for the uterus, if polyps are found in this area it can also have an adverse effect. It might be interesting to make a point on some noncancerous tumors which can occur in the wall of the uterus as well. While these are unlikely to cause any fertility problems, it can be difficult for the fertilized egg to be implanted so they are most certainly not without their concerns.
Ovaries stop functioning
Some sources might class this condition as an early menopause, with the ovaries tending to stop working before the woman has reached the age of 40.
If this occurs, it can be quite difficult for doctors to find out just why it has happened. There are a whole host of reasons behind it, with immune system diseases, smoking and chemotherapy being just some of them.
Adhesions around the pelvis
The final cause we’ll look at surrounds pelvic adhesions. If a woman has suffered some sort of pelvic infection or past surgery, there’s a chance that scar tissue will have formed. As well as this, previous conditions such as appendicitis can be a cause. Over time, this damaged tissue can bind together and ultimately, make it much harder for the woman to conceive.