Having a baby is one of the most beautiful experiences of a woman’s life, but some women have to contend with fertility problems before they enter motherhood. It’s important to be aware of these signs of infertility so you can seek early treatment. Take note that some conditions that cause infertility have no obvious symptoms. Once you decide you are ready to conceive, schedule a prenatal checkup with your gynecologist to test for underlying reproductive problems that can affect your chances of getting pregnant.
Irregular menstrual cycles
Although it’s common for a woman to miss her period every now and then, a consistently irregular menstrual cycle is the most common sign of fertility problems in women. It could also suggest an underlying condition that may not necessarily lead to infertility. You may have been told that a “regular” period happens like clockwork every 28 days, but the length of every woman’s cycle varies depending on her hormones and environment. To find out if your menstrual cycle is regular, keep a calendar and count the number of days in your cycle, starting from day one of your period until the day before your next period. If the number of days is roughly the same, then you have a regular period.
An irregular menstrual cycle is when you miss a period, when you experience a continuous period, experience two periods in one cycle, or have no periods at all. As mentioned earlier, the occasional missed period is normal, but highly irregular periods will make conceiving difficult because you cannot predict when your most fertile days will happen. Irregular periods can also signify disorders like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), uterine tumors, anovulation, or endometriosis, which can be detrimental to fertility.
Severe menstrual cramps
Menstrual cramps make periods rather uncomfortable, but they should never be painful enough to keep you in bed for the rest of the day. If your menstrual cramps just started recently, you may be experiencing a hormonal change or infection. Either way, this may interfere with your chances of conceiving. Severe menstrual cramps are also a symptom of PCOS, uterine tumors, or endometriosis. Schedule a check up with your gynecologist to find out what’s causing your menstrual cramps and if your fertility is affected in any way.
Unhealthy weight
Being underweight or overweight can contribute to fertility problems. Women who are underweight may not have enough nutrients to support a pregnancy. Those who are overweight may suffer from a hormonal imbalance, which can cause anovulation (lack of ovulation) and other negative effects on the reproductive system. Being overweight may actually be caused by PCOS, especially if you seem to have trouble losing weight no matter how hard you diet or exercise. If your doctor diagnosed you with PCOS, treating this will also help you lose weight and boost your overall fertility.
Age
Whether your reproductive system is healthy or not, a woman’s fertility naturally declines after age 30. The main reason for this is the finite number of eggs in the ovaries and the ovaries’ failure to respond to the follicle stimulating hormones, the hormones that release an egg once every menstrual cycle. As a woman ages, her body finds it more and more difficult to release an egg. This doesn’t mean that getting pregnant after 30 is impossible; it just means that a woman in her 30s will encounter more fertility problems than a woman in her 20s. Eating nutritious foods and adapting a healthy lifestyle can boost your fertility naturally, and so will quitting habits like smoking and drinking. But if you can’t wait to become a mother, talk to your doctor about artificial reproductive technologies and your chances of success.
Recurrent miscarriages
Although infertility is defined as the inability to get pregnant, frequent miscarriages also count as a fertility problem. If you have had three consecutive miscarriages in the past, talk to your doctor and find out what’s causing this. Most physical causes of miscarriages like a weak cervix can be corrected with surgery. The good news is that even women with recurrent miscarriages have a 75 chance of giving birth to a healthy baby over the next ten years. But if a physical defect is the cause, you will likely keep on miscarrying until you have it treated.
A history of STDs
Some STDs like gonorrhea and Chlamydia can cause infertility by creating scar tissue on the fallopian tubes. These scars can prevent sperm from reaching the egg or prevent the egg from implanting itself onto the uterus, causing an ectopic pregnancy. Since gonorrhea or Chlamydia do not have obvious physical symptoms in women, make sure your doctor screens you for these STDs.
Author Resource:-
Diana Farrell is the author of the trademarked Full Embrace Program Series on overcoming infertility that has helped many couples get pregnant. If you would like to know more about signs of infertility and other tips that can help you get pregnant, please visit http://www.PregnancySuccessProgram.com
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