wellness / Health
regular, unprotected sexual intercourse or due to an impairment of a person’s capacity to reproduce either as an individual or with his/her partner. There’s a common misconception that infertility only pertains to the female partner when, in fact, one-third of infertility is attributed to the female partner, one-third attributed to the male partner and one-third is caused by a combination of problems in both partners or is unexplained.
NAVIGATING
the World of Infertility By Sarah Jane Sandy
C
an I let you in on a not-so-little secret? One in eight couples today have trouble getting pregnant and/or sustaining a pregnancy. Why is infertility such a taboo topic? Unfortunately, there is so much shame and secrecy around the topic that couples tend to keep their journey hidden, under lock and key, until — and if — a successful pregnancy occurs. Chances are, someone in your life has struggled with infertility. And, the reality is, that someone is probably stronger, braver
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and more persistent than you’ve given them credit for. So, let’s talk about infertility: what it is, what causes it and how you can optimize your body for conception when you’re ready. WHAT IS INFERTILITY? As defined by the International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ICMART), infertility is a condition characterized by the failure to establish a clinical pregnancy after 12 months of
CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO INFERTILITY Each and every step of ovulation and fertilization needs to happen correctly in order to get pregnant. There are many medical conditions that can be the underlying cause of infertility for both men and women. Some of these conditions are simple to diagnose, like hormone imbalances, while others may require an array of additional testing and the expertise of a specialist. Risk factors such as age, weight, reproductive history, genetics and length of time trying to conceive can have a significant impact on your odds of getting pregnant and having a healthy, full-term pregnancy without any complications. Unfortunately, your age really does matter when it comes to fertility. At age 30, the average woman's chance of conceiving during any one cycle is 20%. By age 40, that chance drops to a low 5%. Those are some crazy statistics, right? But, remember that the quality of our eggs (reflected by the health and quality of the environment of our bodies) make a significant difference in improving our odds of successful conception no matter what your age. Weight can also be a major fertility factor; being excessively thin or overweight can lead to infertility problems. Estrogen is partially produced in our fat cells, so too much or too little fat on the body can wreak havoc on estrogen levels. Being diagnosed with certain high-risk reproductive conditions, such as endometriosis, low ovarian reserve, fibroids, PCOS or a thyroid disorder most definitely affects your fertility health. NAVIGATING THE JOURNEY If you and your partner have been trying to conceive for a while, then you know that the
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