A couple struggling to conceive is not an uncommon circumstance. After all, getting pregnant naturally takes time. It could be due to a variety of reasons like environmental factors, malefactors and/or female factors. Whatever the reason, the more time it takes for you and your partner to conceive, the more frustrating it gets.
As a pioneer of fertility treatment in Davao, we want to help couples who are coping with infertility to fully understand what’s making it difficult for them to conceive and what options are available for them today.
Here are the signs you and your partner may need to see a fertility specialist soon.
No Periods
No menstrual cycle is completely and absolutely perfect, but the absence of periods may indicate an infertility issue. If a woman’s period cycle is off by a few days, it’s still reasonable to assume there’s nothing wrong. It’s only when the off period is longer, like a few months, that you should start to seek help.
This may be a sign of hormonal imbalance, which in turn could possibly cause a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS may have a more difficult time conceiving, due to the ovaries producing high levels of a “male” hormone known as androgen. High levels of androgen may inhibit ovulation and even cause hair growth and acne.
Persistent Health Problems
There are many health conditions that may inhibit your chances of getting pregnant. For example, Type 2 diabetes may contribute to infertility, in that the body may have low insulin levels which may cause the ovaries to either ovulate unevenly or not at all.
Cancer is also a condition that may affect sperm or egg production. That said, fertility may only be affected when it comes to cancers of the reproductive organs. Men with testicular cancer may have reduced fertility.
Abnormal Semen Analysis Results
While there are female factors of infertility, the sperm may also have its defects. If after a man has his semen analysis the results come out abnormal, this could be an indication of male factor infertility. There are many ways this can manifest. The criteria for healthy sperm includes the number (volume), movement (motility), and shape (morphology).
According to the World Health Organization, the standard results for healthy sperm range from 39 to 928 million in total sperm ejaculate, 1.5 to 7.6 mL ejaculate volume, 40 to 81 percent of total motility, 32 to 75 percent of progressive motility, and 4 to 48 percent of sperm morphology.
Anything more or less than these numbers may indicate there’s something that needs to be checked with the sperm.
Unexplained Infertility
Even if you and your partner have tried numerous times to conceive to no success, and have even consulted with a doctor and found your results normal, you and your partner might have unexplained infertility.
There is an underlying cause to unexplained infertility, though right now, we might not know it yet. Don’t fret, though, as unexplained infertility is usually diagnosed after several trips to the doctor, and not by chance.
If any of these symptoms sound familiar to you or your partner, it may be time to consult a fertility specialist. Luckily, you don’t have to search very far for IVF treatments. As a clinic with expert fertility specialists in Davao, we can help you and your partner evaluate which options are right for you. Set an appointment with us today to explore your options.