 |
| Procedures For Infertility |
There is still much that we don't understand about female fertility and why some embryos implant successfully and others don't. Many women never discover why they can't conceive, as there are parts of the process doctors can't check and monitor. However, there are some common problems that may stop you getting pregnant.
Hormonal problems
Around 20 per cent of fertility problems are caused by ovulation disorders. Women may not be releasing eggs at all, or may not be ovulating regularly. Sometimes, the ovaries don't produce mature follicles and the eggs can't develop properly. Ovulation can be disrupted at any point along the route that passes messages from the brain to the ovaries, and any kind of irregularity may stop eggs being released normally.
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome, also known as PCOS, is a very common cause of female fertility problems. More than 20 per cent of women have polycystic ovaries, where small cysts are found just below the surface of the ovaries. These cysts are actually follicles that haven't developed properly. For most women, the cysts are not accompanied by any other symptoms and they still ovulate regularly, but some women also have other symptoms of PCOS.
If you have PCOS you will usually have irregular, infrequent or absent periods. This means you are not ovulating regularly, and your body may not be releasing mature eggs at all. The syndrome is often associated with weight problems, and about a third of women with PCOS are overweight. Women with PCOS are often told to try to get their weight down as this can improve their fertility, but unfortunately it can be harder to lose weight if you have PCOS.
Not everyone who has PCOS is overweight, and it is quite possible to have the syndrome and be very thin. PCOS often affects women who have eating disorders, and if you have bulimia you have a high risk of developing PCOS, even if your weight is normal.
There are some other signs that can accompany PCOS. You may have unwanted facial or body hair, and skin problems such as oily skin or ache. Some women also experience hair loss, or thinning hair. Women who have PCOS usually have imbalances in their hormones, and may produce higher than normal levels of testosterone. They may also have high levels of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood-sugar levels.
'I think I have had PCOS all my adult life. When I was 16, I came out in the worst acne of my life. I had very heavy periods, was very hairy, had dandruff... all the PCOS signs. I had blood tests and a vaginal scan, and they confirmed it was PCOS.' .Sarah, 34
Raised prolactin levels
Ovulation can also be disrupted by raised prolactin levels. Prolactin is a hormone that helps prepare women's breasts for milk-production after childbirth, but high levels in women who are not pregnant can affect the normal hormonal balance. The symptoms of raised prolaetin levels are irregular or absent periods, and you may also have a milky discharge from your breasts. Stress can cause prolactin levels to rise slightly, as can some types of medication.
Premature menopause
Also known as premature ovarian failure, premature menopause is usually defined as the onset of the menopause before the age of 40. It is thought that around 2 per cent of women have a premature menopause.
It is often not clear what makes the ovaries stop functioning normally at what ought to be the most fertile period of a woman's life, but it sometimes has genetic or chromosomal causes. A premature menopause may be the result of cancer treatment or autoimmune disorders.
If your mother had an early menopause, you are more at risk of this yourself, and if this is the case and you've already been trying to get pregnant unsuccessfully, you should seek medical advice sooner rather than later. Women who know they may be predisposed to a hereditary early menopause will usually be referred for treatment quickly if they are trying unsuccessfully to conceive, but doctors may be less willing to address the concerns of single women in this position who are worried about their future fertility. Once a woman has reached the menopause, the process is irreversible however early it may happen, and the only way to get pregnant is by using another woman's donated eggs.
'They did all the blood tests and they showed that my hormone levels were at the level of a 42-year-old. At the time I was 29. They said I wasn't going into the menopause right there and then but the likelihood was that I would go into an early menopause and not have any eggs, or the eggs might be bad quality.' Rachel, 35. To find out more, you can check out Procedures For Infertility.
