Satjot Hospital

Overview Of Infertility

1 in 6 Couples have trouble getting pregnant!
Having a baby can be one of the life’s greatest experiences and joy, this privilege is denied to many couples because of infertility. Roughly 10-15% couples face some fertility problems at some stage of their reproduction carrier. Approximately 13-19 million couples are likely to be infertile in our country at any given time. With increasing awareness among people to have a child from their own egg and sperm, reproductive health is becoming a major health care. Number of patients seeking professional help is sharply expanding. Achievement of pregnancy and development of foetus are extremely complex processes involving hundreds of synchronized and timely occurring events. Any wrong at one or more steps may result in causing delay in achieving pregnancy or infertility. Obviously treatment of infertility is a challenging task. However, current level of diagnoses, understanding and management techniques have made it possible to treat nearly every kind of infertility.

Pregnancy in Natural Cycles

Human reproduction is relatively a slow process. In average fertile couple, the probability of fertilization for any particular exposure of egg to sperm may be approximately 80%, but by the time of first expected menstrual period after ovulation, approximately half of the early embryos have failed to develop. Many of these lost embryos were fundamentally abnormal and were incapable of survival. The menstrual period may not even be delayed and the couple may not realize that an early pregnancy has been lost. If a menstrual period(Irregular periods ) is missed, approximately one-fourth of the remaining embryos may die later. The probability of a live birth after any one exposure in a normally fertile couple, therefore, is generally no higher than 30%. From a practical point of view, therefore, the expectancy of a continuing pregnancy which will result in birth of a child after any one egg-ovulation is somewhere in the range of 20-25%.

What is Infertility?

Infertility is a disease or condition of reproductive system often diagnosed if a couple has failed to conceive after one year of unprotected, well timed intercourse, or if the woman has been unable to carry a pregnancy that results in a live birth.
Primary Infertility : Infertility without any previous pregnancy.
Secondary Infertility : When there has been a previous pregnancy.
Sterility : When there is no chance for natural pregnancy. This is different from infertility which generally represents a reduced potential for pregnancy. Most childless couples with a female age under 42-44 years that are having problems of getting pregnant are infertile but not sterile.

Probability of Pregnancy Declines with Advancing Age : The affect of age on incidence of infertility and on the result of the therapy cannot be ignored. It is well documented that there is diminished fecundity with increasing age. A woman reaches the maximum fertility potential at the age of 24 years. By the age of 30 her fertility begins to decline. However, the decline is not significant, until the age of 35 and it is more marked after 40 years.

Probability of Pregnancy and Age

Age Group (Yrs) % Conceiving within 12 Months
20-24 85
25-29 78
30-34 63
35-39 52
40 42
It has been found that the time required to attain pregnancy increases with the age of a woman. The cumulative pregnancy rate decreases substantially with advancing age.

When should the Couple seek Medical Assistance for Infertility?

In general, it is appropriate to see a physician for infertility treatment after 12 months of trying to conceive naturally. Depending upon the age of the female partner this time can be longer or shorter. If the woman is young, around 20, 2 years of trying for natural pregnancy can be considered. If the patient has a condition that predisposes to infertility such as irregular menstrual cycles (either early or late), endometriosis, previous tubal pregnancy, polycystic ovarian syndrome, pelvic inflammatory disease, painful menstrual cycles, pelvic pain, repeated abortions etc., immediate medical help is warranted. Similarly, men with low sperm count or history of testicular or prostate cancer or sexual problems must consider seeking help earlier. If the female partner is over 37 years, she may need to seek help sooner than 12 months (after 6 months of trying). It is appropriate for a woman around 40 and older to see fertility specialist if not pregnant after 3-6 months of trying. A high percentage of women over 40 years generally need medical intervention in order to conceive.

Distribution of Infertility

In both men and women multiple factors account for difficulty with their fertility. According to current statistics male and female contribute nearly equally(35-40%) to their infertility and as such the modern infertility studies should address itself to the couple in a balanced fashion and not confine to woman as the only control symbol.

The Causes

  • Due to Female Factor…………………35-40%
  • Due to Male Factor……………………35-40%
  • Combined Factor……………………...10-15%
  • Unexplained Infertility………………...10-15%

Female Factors

  • Irregular ovulation or egg production, hormonal imbalance ……………..40%
  • Tubal block………………………………………………30%
  • Uterus problems viz. fibroids adhesions, congenital abnormalities, chocolate cysts of ovaries, endometriosis…………..…………………………………. 20%
  • Unexplained causes…………………………………………………. 10-15%

Male Factors

  • Low mobility of sperm with normal and low count, even total absence of sperm in ejaculate.
  • Varicocele, absence or blockage of vas deferens, blockage of epididymis, testicular dysfunction and hormonal imbalance.
  • Infection of male genital tract.
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