Female Infertility: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment

Quick Highlights

• Female infertility is the inability to conceive after one year of regular, unprotected intercourse.
• Common causes of female infertility include ovulation disorders, fallopian tube damage, endometriosis, and uterine abnormalities.
• Common diagnosis for female infertility involve tests like ovulation tracking, hysterosalpingography, ovarian reserve assessment, and pelvic ultrasound.
• Treatments for female infertility range from fertility drugs to assisted reproductive techniques like IUI and IVF.
• Lifestyle improvements like a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and stress reduction can enhance fertility naturally.

Let’s walk through this blog to get a deeper understanding about female infertility. 

What is Female Infertility?

Female infertility refers to the inability to achieve pregnancy despite having regular, unprotected sexual intercourse for a year. It accounts for 50-55% of infertility cases, with male factors contributing 30-33%, and the remaining 25% being unexplained.

What Causes Female Infertility?

• An egg must develop in the woman’s ovary.
• The ovary must release an egg each month (ovulation). The egg must then be picked up by one of the fallopian tubes.
• A man’s sperm must travel through the uterus to the fallopian tube to meet and fertilise the egg.
• The fertilised egg must travel through the fallopian tube and attach (implant) to the lining of the uterus.

Disruption in any of the above can cause female infertility.

Ovulation Disorders

Ovulation disorders can disrupt the ovulation process. Some common disorders are:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): PCOS causes a hormone imbalance, which affects ovulation. It’s the most common cause of female infertility. 
• Hypothalamic dysfunction: Two hormones produced by the pituitary gland are responsible for stimulating ovulation each month. Disruption of the production of these hormones affects ovulation. Irregular or absent periods are the most common signs.
• Premature ovarian failure: This disorder causes the ovary to no longer produce eggs, and it lowers estrogen production in women under the age of 40.
• Too much prolactin: The pituitary gland may cause excess production of prolactin, which reduces estrogen production and may cause infertility. 

Damage to Fallopian Tubes (Tubal Infertility)

Damage to the fallopian tubes keeps sperm from getting to the egg or blocks the passage of the fertilised egg into the uterus. Causes include:

• An infection of the uterus and fallopian tubes due to chlamydia, gonorrhea, or other sexually transmitted infections
• Previous surgery in the abdomen or pelvis
• Pelvic tuberculosis

Endometriosis

Endometriosis occurs when tissue that normally grows in the uterus implants and grows in other locations. This extra tissue growth—and the surgical removal of it—can cause scarring, which may block fallopian tubes and keep an egg and sperm from uniting. 

Uterine or Cervical Causes

Several uterine or cervical causes interfere with implantation or increase the likelihood of a miscarriage:

• Benign polyps or tumors (fibroids or myomas) are common in the uterus. Some can block fallopian tubes or interfere with implantation, affecting fertility. However, many women who have fibroids or polyps do become pregnant.
• Endometriosis scarring or inflammation within the uterus can disrupt implantation.
• Uterine abnormalities present from birth, such as an abnormally shaped uterus, can cause problems becoming or remaining pregnant.
• Cervical stenosis, a narrowing of the cervix, can be caused by an inherited malformation or damage to the cervix.
• Sometimes the cervix can’t produce the best type of mucus to allow the sperm to travel through the cervix into the uterus.

How is Female Infertility Diagnosed?

Your doctor may prescribe fertility tests based on your medical history. Fertility tests include:

Ovulation Testing

An at-home, over-the-counter ovulation prediction kit detects the surge in a hormone that occurs before ovulation. A blood test for progesterone—a hormone produced after ovulation—can also document that you’re ovulating. 

Hysterosalpingography

An X-ray is taken to detect abnormalities in the uterine cavity. If abnormalities are found, you’ll likely need further evaluation. In a few women, the test itself can improve fertility, possibly by flushing out and opening the fallopian tubes.

Ovarian Reserve Testing

A few blood tests and an ultrasound are done to predict the ovarian reserve of a woman. 

Imaging tests

A pelvic ultrasound looks for uterine or fallopian tube disease. 

Other Tests

Other hormone tests check levels of ovulatory hormones as well as thyroid and pituitary hormones that control reproductive processes.

What Are the Treatment Options for Female Infertility?

The doctor prescribes fertility treatment based on a variety of factors because infertility, in itself, traces its causes to a multitude of risk factors. Other treatment considerations include financial situations, as some of the treatments can be expensive. 

Fertility Drugs

• These drugs stimulate or regulate ovulation. They are usually recommended for women with ovulation disorders. These drugs work like natural hormones that help with ovulation. 
• One can either use fertility drugs to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce the hormones—follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) or use the drugs to directly stimulate the ovary to produce the eggs. 
• The risk of fertility drugs can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), leading to swollen and painful ovaries. It can also cause multiple pregnancies. 
• Always consult your doctor and do not self-medicate, as this may cause problems. 

Reproductive Assistance

The most commonly used methods of reproductive assistance include:

• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI): During IUI, millions of healthy sperm are placed inside the uterus close to the time of ovulation.
• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). This involves retrieving mature eggs from a woman, fertilising them with a man’s sperm in a dish in a lab, and then transferring the embryos into the uterus after fertilisation. IVF is the most effective assisted reproductive technology. An IVF cycle involves hormonal injections followed by retrieving eggs from the female body and combining them with sperm to form an embryo. These embryos are transferred back to the uterus.

Tips to Improve Fertility in Females

Learning about the causes of female infertility allows us to practice caution and prevent these conditions.

Here’s what you can do to improve your fertility naturally:

• Eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet
• Exercise regularly
• Eat foods rich in antioxidants
• Don’t skip breakfast
• Plan a fibre-rich meal once a day, at least
• Take multivitamins
• Reduce your levels of stress
• Lose weight, if obese
• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Avoid smoking and drinking

Conclusion

If you are facing challenges with female infertility or dealing with related conditions, know that many of these issues are treatable with the right care. If you have any questions or need support, the experts at Birla Fertility & IVF are here to guide you every step of the way. Book an appointment today to explore your options.

FAQs

What Are the Common Causes of Female Infertility?

What Factors Affect a Woman’s Fertility?

Age, weight, previous pregnancies, and lifestyle habits are some factors that affect female fertility. Various pregnancies and lifestyle habits are some factors affecting female fertility.

How is Female Infertility Treated?

Common treatment methods include lifestyle changes, ovulation stimulation, IUI, IVF, and more.

How Can I Improve My Fertility?

Eating a healthy diet, exercising, and reducing stress are top methods of improving fertility.