Infertility is a condition that is defined as the process of attempting to get pregnant by frequently practicing unprotected sex without success for a minimum of one year. One-third of the cases of infertility occur due to female factors, while both male and female factors cause the other third. In the remaining number of cases, the cause is unknown. 

Causes of female infertility can be various, and sometimes they are challenging to diagnose. There are not many infertility symptoms, but the leading, most evident female infertility symptom is the lack of the ability to get pregnant. Additionally, if your menstrual cycle lasts for more than 35 days, or less than 21, if it is irregular or does not happen, this can indicate that your ovulation process is not occurring, thus preventing you from getting pregnant. 

Age can be crucial when deciding when to seek professional help and guidance from a medical provider so you can discuss infertility symptoms. If you are less than 35 years old, trying for at least a year to get pregnant before visiting a doctor is recommended. The recommended period is six months if you belong to the age group 35-40 years. If you are older than 40, doctors recommend examinations and treatments immediately. 

In cases when partners know that they might face issues with infertility due to causes such as previous miscarriages, cancer, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, etc., doctors recommend tests and treatments right away regardless of the age of the patients. 

Female infertility is a condition that needs the help of experienced doctors who can offer support and guidance in different ways. It can be very physically and emotionally exhausting for the partners, and it is crucial to trust the medical professionals working with you. Different clinics offer help with this matter, and My OBGYN Specialists clinic is definitely worth considering due to their expertise and experience in infertility. 

Signs You Can’t Get Pregnant

Close Up of Young Woman Hold in Hands Positive or Negative Pregnancy Test ThinkingWhen talking about how to know if you are infertile, it is essential to also pay attention to some conditions you are suffering from which might be causing infertility. Below you can find some potential causes of being unable to get pregnant, with additional explanations that might be helpful. 

Every phase of the impregnation process needs to be correct for the pregnancy to happen. The phases consist of the following:

  • A mature egg needs to be released from the ovaries
  • The egg settles in the fallopian tube
  • The sperm reaches the cervix, and via the uterus, it comes to the fallopian tubes to get to the egg
  • The egg descends to the uterus 
  • The fertilized egg settles in the uterus and starts developing 

When we are talking about the signs you can’t get pregnant, it is important to emphasize once more that in women, very often, some already existing conditions can cause infertility. Many different conditions can be problematic, and they include:

  • Disorders in the ovulation process: Ovulation disorders are caused by issues regulating reproductive hormones in the body or by ovary-related problems. This type of disorder includes PCOS, dysfunction of the hypothalamus, premature ovarian failure, or the excessive amount of prolactin in the body. Most of these disorders are connected to issues with hormone production or irregular function of certain organs in the reproductive system.
  • Tubal infertility: This condition involves blocked or damaged fallopian tubes which either stop the sperm from reaching the egg or block the fertilized egg from descending into the uterus. Some of the main causes of this condition are either pelvic inflammatory disease or surgeries done on the abdomen or the pelvis area. 
  • Endometriosis: When a person suffers from endometriosis, the uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus on other organs. It is possible that this condition disrupts the egg fertilization process, and that, in surgical removal of tissue, the scarring blocks the fallopian tubes.
  • Polyps and tumors in the uterus are common conditions, but they can block the fallopian tubes and cause issues with the fertilization process. 
  • The unusually shaped uterus
  • Narrow cervix
  • Poor quality mucus: The cervix cannot produce the best quality mucus, so the sperm cannot freely move through it. 

Sometimes, infertility cannot be explained, and experts say that different minor factors in both partners could potentially cause infertility. In cases such as these, treatments are crucial. Consult your doctor as soon as possible to determine if you are infertile and why.

Can I Prevent Infertility?

Infertility prevention is not the most viable option, but there are steps you can take to help your body as much as you can. 

  • Make sure you are not overweight or underweight because that increases the risk of disorders regarding ovulation. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are the best way to go, but also make sure you are not exhausting your body too much because that can have an additional negative effect on your health. 
  • Avoid alcohol and tobacco consumption because it has been proven to have a very negative effect on fertility and your general health. 
  • Different studies have proven that stress can be very impactful when it comes to its negative consequences, so it is advised for people to work on stress reduction regularly. 

What Are Some Risk Factors?

Patient Couple Listening to Doctor’s Advice

There are some factors that pose potential risks when it comes to infertility, and they include: 

  • Age: As mentioned in the beginning, the patient’s age is crucial when it comes to further steps in a potential treatment plan. The quality of eggs deteriorates as women get older, and after the age of 35, the person will become less and less likely to become pregnant. 
  • Sexual history: A history of STIs and STDs can be problematic when discussing fertility. Certain infections and diseases damage the reproductive system and cause organ malfunction, leading to low fertility. 
  • Substance abuse: As previously elaborated, consuming tobacco and alcohol is very damaging to our bodies, especially in the context of fertility. 

Call Us!

When you start experiencing female infertility symptoms, you must act with caution and urgency. The doctor you choose to help you during these difficult times is someone who should have previous experience in handling patients who suffer from infertility. Their level of expertise and knowledge needs to be extremely high. You can count on all this and more in our clinic, so we invite you to call us and schedule a consultation. 

Make sure you get the best possible care and guidance when suffering from infertility. After all, every aspect of increasing your chances to become a parent matters. We are here for you!