Starting a new family is exciting, but it can also be stressful. This is especially true for couples who have difficulty conceiving a child. It’s common for both members of a couple to blame the other for all the difficulties they’re having, but playing the blame game won’t help anyone.
The first thing couples should do if they are having difficulty conceiving is determined what underlying fertility issues or health conditions may be contributing to their problem. This applies to both men and women, as both sexes experience infertility at similar rates. Read on to find out how to get started.
Determining Male Fertility
While determining what factors are to blame for a woman’s potential fertility problems poses several challenges, determining male fertility is a pretty straightforward process. All that’s required most of the time is a basic semen analysis.
Contact MCRM Fertility to schedule an analysis to rule out malefactors such as decreased sperm count, concentration, motility, or volume first. If nothing comes up on the tests, the same professionals can help to determine female factors that may be impacting fertility and come up with an effective treatment plan.
Risk Factors for Male Infertility
Many medical, environmental, and lifestyle factors can influence men’s sperm production. Medical causes include chromosome defects, hormone imbalances, conditions such as undescended testicles, ejaculation issues, defects in the tubules that transport sperm, infections, and more. The most prominent environmental factors that influence male infertility are exposure to heavy metals, industrial chemicals, x-rays, or radiation and overheating of the testicles. Common lifestyle factors include drug, alcohol, or tobacco use, elevated stress, depression, and obesity.
Determining Female Fertility
There are several underlying health issues that can cause female infertility. They include endometriosis, ovulation disorders like polycystic ovary syndrome, hypothalamic dysfunction, and diminished ovarian reserve, blockages of the Fallopian tubes, pelvic inflammatory disease, and others. The first step in treating female fertility is thus to obtain an accurate diagnosis of the woman’s underlying condition.
Other Risk Factors for Female Infertility
Not all cases of female infertility stem from underlying health conditions. Many other factors can make it more difficult for a woman to conceive, including advanced age, smoking or tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, high or low body weight, and even stress. Identifying and eliminating these potential risk factors is a great first step toward improving fertility.
Potential Solutions
Determining what male and female factors may be to blame for a couple’s infertility is the first step toward coming up with a workable solution. Resist the temptation to get frustrated with partners over things they can’t control. Instead, couples should use the information obtained through diagnostic testing to empower them.
There are plenty of solutions available, ranging from the use of supplements to treat dietary issues to advanced procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF). Taking advantage of all that modern medicine has to offer is the best way for couples to empower themselves and take control of the process of conceiving a child.
The Bottom Line
Men and women experience infertility at similar rates, so it’s nearly impossible for the average couple to determine what factors are causing them to have difficulty conceiving. Instead of blaming one another, couples can schedule a visit to a comprehensive fertility clinic. This will give them access to the tools they need to take conception into their own hands and start their families successfully.
