FACTS ABOUT INFERTILITY

The woman must be releasing eggs every month or regularly. This is known as ovulation.

The tubes connecting the ovaries where the eggs are and the womb (uterus) must be opened. The tubes are the place where the egg and the sperms meet. Therefore pregnancy STARTS or BEGINS in the tubes. If the tubes are blocked, natural conception cannot occur because the egg and sperms cannot meet. This is the commonest cause of infertility in women.

The uterus is where the pregnancy develops till the woman gives birth. Some conditions like fibroids can affect the uterus and make it difficult or impossible for the woman to carry a pregnancy.

The sperms must be of good quality. That is their count must be good (> 15million sperms/ml), their movement must be good and they should have normal shapes.

The couple should be having frequent sexual intercourse about 3-4 times a week. The reason is that when the woman releases the egg, it can only survive for 24 hours. After that it cannot be fertilized. So the woman cannot become pregnant that month.

The age of the woman. The older the woman the more difficult it is to become pregnant. It is because the eggs are getting fewer and the quality of the eggs are getting poorer and poorer. Hence fertilization and implantation become difficult to achieve. The advise therefore is don’t WAIT till you age is advanced before seeking treatment. It is better to seek treatment before 35 years

The weight of the woman. Women who are overweight or obese find it more difficult to conceive. So women should make sure their weights are within the normal range. We can help women to easily check if their weights are normal or not.

The sperms come out during sexual intercourse: A lot of sub-fertile complain about this. What comes out is seminal fluid. The sperms swim quickly into the uterus once the man has ejaculated. This cannot be the cause of the infertility

Blood groups do not match: Blood groups have nothing to do with your ability to become pregnant

Position during sexual intercourse: There is no sexual position that associated with ability to conceive. Once all the 5 things listed above are normal, a woman can become pregnant in any sexual position.

Diet: Generally a normal balanced diet is advised. Overweight and obesity should be avoided at all costs.

Cigarette smoking and alcohol intake should be stopped or minimized in a couple trying to achieve a pregnancy.