Infertility in Women

Infertility in Women


Infertility in Women - Causes, Treatment and Success Rates

Infertility in Women is mainly defined as the condition when women are trying to get pregnant for at least one year but with no conclusive success at all. This condition mainly affects close to millions of couples in many countries. There are over 10-18% of couples that face a lot of trouble getting pregnant or evening having a proper delivery. There are options available for both female infertility treatment as well as male infertility treatment available as of today.

Infertility in Women

Some of the common factors that result in infertility in women is mainly owing to female factors. This happens with almost 30% of the cases and some of the causes about the same are quite unknown, or it could be a combination of cases involving both males and females.
Infertility treatment among females could take a lot of time and could be difficult to determine in a lot of cases, as compared to male infertility.

There are so many treatments available right now, which can effectively pinpoint the exact cause of infertility. There are cases when females do get pregnant without any form of treatment. There are cases when couples do get successful in this after 2 years of pregnancy. These can be determined through a possible fertility test as well.

infertility treatment in india

Symptoms and Causes leading to infertility in Women

Symptoms:

The very main symptom of infertility in women would be their incapacity to get pregnant. If a nominal menstrual cycle is too long, or too short or highly irregular in many cases, then it would mean that you are not ovulating properly. Some of these symptoms can be mostly inward and not outward. 

Some of the cases wherein the people of respective age groups can consult a doctor are as follows:

  • Until age 35, most of the doctors recommend couples to try to get pregnant for at least 1 year before appropriate treatment
  • For age groups between 35-40, you can discuss it with your respective doctor after trying for 6 months.
  • For women who are older than 40, you need to immediately consult your doctor for effective treatment.

If there are any known fertility problems then you must have a word with your doctor and carry out the testing procedure. Also, if you have a previous history concerning menstrual periods, pelvic inflammatory problems, continuous miscarriages, previous treatment of cancer or even endometriosis.

Causes

For pregnancy to occur properly, each step of the reproduction process must happen properly with no complications. Many of the fertility clinics would be able to identify these issues. Some of the steps in this crucial stage include:

  • One of the two ovaries has a mature egg.
  • The egg would then be picked up by a fallopian tube.
  • The sperms would then be swimming up the cervix traversing through the uterus and then inside the fallopian tube so that it reaches the egg which would then be fertilized.
  • This egg would then go into the tube and then to the uterus.
  •  The egg would then get implanted in the uterus post which it grows there.

There are a considerable number of factors that can disrupt this process at any given step. Some of the factors which might cause a hurdle concerning infertility in women are as given below,

•    Ovulation Disorders

As the name suggests, this condition would mean that women are not able to ovulate properly, or intermittently or not at all. This condition mainly occurs in about 1 out of 4 couples. There are reasons and specific disorders which can culminate into this and they include,
i.    PCOS – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome results in a disbalance of hormones that can adversely affect the process of ovulation. This could happen due to obesity, irregular hair growth on your body or even acne.

PCOS treatment in india
ii.    Hypothalamic Dysfunction – Increased physical or mental stress can cause fluctuations in body weight and this might result in hypothalamic dysfunction thereby affecting ovulation.
iii.    Increased levels of prolactin –Excessive levels of prolactin may be produced because of your pituitary gland that controls the production of estrogen resulting in infertility in women.

•   Fallopian Tube Damage

Blocked fallopian tubes or damaged ones can halt the progress of sperms from reaching the egg thereby blocking the way of the egg into the uterus. Some of the blocked fallopian tubes symptoms with regards to this include
i.    Pelvic Inflammation problems which are a uterus infection occurring due to gonorrhoea, chlamydia or other STDs.
ii.    Any previous surgeries concerning your pelvis or abdomen could have ruptured the fallopian tubes. This can also include surgery for ectopic pregnancy wherein the egg gets implanted and starts developing in the tube as opposed to the uterus.
iii.    Another cause can be pelvic tuberculosis, which is considered to be a major cause of infertility.
There is some effective fallopian tube blockage treatment available today with minimal symptoms.

•    Uterine or Cervical Causes 

There are multiple uterine or cervical causes which can adversely affect the process of fertility. It causes interference in the implantation or it can become one of the reasons for a possible miscarriage. Some of the causes are jotted down below,
i.    The creation of benign uterine polyps, endometrial polyps, tumors or uterine fibroids is much common in the uterus, and are also the various types of fibroids. These issues can block the fallopian tubes or they can impede the implantation process obstructing fertility. But there are women with such causes who also become pregnant. It is essential that you consider taking fibroids treatment if things get more serious.
ii.    Inflammation caused by endometriosis can also halt the implantation process.
iii.    Any uterine deformity present from birth or an irregularly shaped uterus can also cause problems during or in the course of pregnancy.
iv.    Cervical stenosis is another cause of female infertility which is either inherited or it could be owing to a damaged cervix.
v.    There are cases when the cervix is unable to produce appropriate mucus to allow the sperms to travel from the cervix into the uterus.

•    Endometriosis

This condition occurs when a tissue that usually grows in the uterus would get implanted and starts growing in other locations. This unnatural tissue growth and its subsequent removal can result in permanent scars which can cause a blockage in the fallopian tubes stopping the egg and sperms to meet.
Endometriosis can even affect the uterus lining, therefore distorting the implanting of the fertilized egg. This can indirectly affect fertility but it will cause problems, especially resulting in the damaging of egg or sperms.

Endometriosis treatment in india

Treatments available in India

Infertility in women can be a cause of concern for many couples, but there are a lot of treatment options available owing to multiple breakthroughs in this. So, couples need not worry about any possible complications after they have looked at the treatment options present in the country,
•    IVF – In vitro fertilization or IVF is a fertilization process wherein the egg would be combined with the sperms outside the body. This would involve detailed monitoring and even the stimulation of the woman’s ovulation process. It is primarily also called as the “test-tube baby technique” when a lot of other options are not deemed useful. The IVF Treatment cost is considerably affordable as of today.

IVF in India

•    ICSI –Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection or ICSI involves a process wherein a single sperm would be infused into the egg directly using the laboratory process. Once the fertilization is confirmed, embryos will be formed and it would then be transferred to the woman’s uterine cavity for 2-5 days. 

ICSI

•    IUI – Intrauterine Insemination is a procedure that would involve placing the sperm inside the uterus of a woman so that an effective fertilization process takes place. The reason behind doing so would be to increase the sperm count that eventually reaches the fallopian tubes and that can intensify the chances of fertilization. 

IUI fertility treatment in India

•    Fertility Restoration Drugs –There are some of the fertility drugs that are available in the market that can regulate the fertilization process and stimulate the ovulation as well. Some of the drugs mentioned below would work like natural hormones so that the ovulation will kickstart. Some of these drugs include:
i.    Clomiphene Citrate – It can be consumed in the form of pills and it can help with stimulating the ovulation process. What it does is that it forces the pituitary gland to release the follicle-stimulating hormones and luteinizing hormones ensuring the growth of the ovarian follicle.
ii.    Gonadotropin – This is mainly injected and this would stimulate the ovary to generate more eggs. Another form of gonadotropin is used to mature the eggs and accordingly time its release when ovulation happens. There are chances that the woman would conceive more than one child during this process.
iii.    Metformin –This drug is used when the probable cause of infertility is the resistance of insulin. This can usually happen in women who have a case of PCOS. The drug would efficiently help in countering the insulin resistance and also improve the level of ovulation. 
iv.    Bromocriptine –This drug is a form of dopamine that is used when there is an excessive creation of prolactin from the pituitary gland. It can help the consumer to cease any possible ovulation issues.

Top Doctors for the Treatment of Infertility in Women in India

CureIndia helps you choose the right doctor for your medical treatment. Most of the doctors in our associated hospitals have been internationally trained and are active members of many international medical councils and associations. Let's hear from some of the most reputed doctor's for the treatment of infertility in women in India.

1. Dr. Shivani Sachdev Gour

Dr. Shivani Sachdev Gour is an MBBS, MD – Obstetrics & Gynecology, DNB – Medical Genetics. She is a renowned Gynecologist, Obstetrician and Fertility Specialist that has 17 years of experience in this profession and has treated thousands of couples. Dr. Gour has completed her medical & Obstetrical qualifications from Mumbai in the year 2000 and to add in her accolades, she was also involved in the treatment of the first cases of legal surrogacy in India

 

2. Dr. Astha Gupta

Dr Aastha Gupta is an obstetrician, gynaecologist, fertility doctor and IVF consultant, associated with Delhi IVF and Fertility Research Centre. The clinic treats infertility in both men and women using the procedures such as IUI, IVF, IVF- Egg donation, surrogacy, endoscopy (Hysteroscopy / Laparoscopy), stem cell therapy, and associated therapies. She has performed more than 5000 ova pick up procedure & has also assisted more than 4200 fertility-enhancing endoscopy procedures. As a fertility doctor, she has also contributed to many studies in the research centre like repeated implant failure, the role of G-CSF in poor endometrial lining & response, the role of adjuvant therapies like prophylactic curettage etc

 

2. Dr. Sonia Malik

Dr Sonia Malik is a veteran obstetrician and gynaecologist with specialization in ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) & IVF specialist. She has expertise in Reproductive Endocrinology & Immunology, Genital Tuberculosis, Advances in Assisted Reproductive Techniques (IVF, ICSI, IMSI) and Premature Ovarian Failure.

 

4. Dr Meenakshi Dua

Dr Meenakshi Dua is a reproductive endocrinologist and has treated hundreds of patients helping them find the answers for their infertility from the past 16 years. She has done her graduation and post-graduation from KMC Manipal and she has also trained in advanced level obs and gyne ultrasounds including Doppler and ART.

 

Success Rates in India

As we have seen in many cases above, the possible success rate in terms of having a proper treatment due to fertility in women would be very high. But since the knowledge factor among the general public is so less is why these cases are high. Over 17-20% of the women in the age group of 20-49 face the problems of infertility treatment and in almost 90% of the cases, this issue can get resolved with appropriate awareness and treatment. Granted, there are cases in the urban populace as well as owing to their existing lifestyle, but they must consult their doctor immediately and plan this out properly if they want to do it. There were cases when infertility in men and there are medications available for the same as well.

female infertility treatment

Infertility in women is a serious case and it should always be treated with care. It is important that you should follow your doctor’s directive to the point if the condition goes sideways. The points given above reflect a detailed understanding of the condition as a whole and its causes that would help you out in the future considerably.