The Role of Female Infertility Doctors in Modern Reproductive Medicine

Are you struggling to conceive even after trying for 1 year? Chances are you or your partner is infertile. Infertility is more common than you think…. 1 out of 5 (19%) of married women aged 18 to 49 are struggling to get pregnant after 1 year of trying, in the US. 1 out of 4 women in this group struggle to get pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term. Most of the infertility problems are treatable now. Learn about infertility doctors and important information about infertility in the FAQs section of the article. Schedule an appointment at Gynecology – Doral Health & Wellness Brooklyn NY.

What are Infertility Doctors and what do they do?

infertility doctors are physician who studies or practices in the subspecialty of obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) called reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI). They are also known as fertility specialists. REI is an area of medicine that addresses hormonal functions concerning reproduction and infertility in both men and women. They can cover areas such as fertility preservation, treatments for infertility, hereditary illnesses that affect future offspring, and uterine issues.

A fertility expert can help you with different issues, including:

• Difficulty conceiving for more than 6 months if you’re 35 or older or it takes more than a year if you’re younger.
• Managing miscarriages, especially if you’ve experienced 2 or more miscarriages.
• Trying to conceive but have infertility risk factors or symptoms such as irregular cycles, genetic disorders, or sexually transmitted diseases in the past that get cured.
• Want a permanent birth control method such as tubal ligation or vasectomy.
• Have cancer and need advice on how to retain fertility before or after treatment.

FAQs on infertility

Here are some common things you should know about infertility via FAQs. It includes:

1. Define infertility and its causes.

Ans. Infertility is an inability to not be able to conceive even after a year of unprotected intercourse, which means as a couple you can’t become pregnant after a year of trying.  However, this duration of conceiving decreases to 6 months if the woman is 35 or older, to be considered infertile.

There can be many reasons that lead to infertility such as an interruption, cessation, or disorder of body functions, systems, or organs in either your or your partner’s reproductive tract that prevents the conception of a child or the ability to carry a pregnancy to full term. There are many treatment options available depending on the cause of infertility and the findings in the evaluation.

2. How common is infertility in couples?

Ans. Around 10 to 15% of couples suffer from infertility and it’s a common disease for people between the ages of 20 to 45. Additionally, the longer a woman tries to get pregnant without conceiving, the lower the chance she has of becoming pregnant without medical treatment. Most couples with normal fertility are able to conceive within a year of trying. If a couple is not able to conceive in the first year, their chance of conceiving is reduced each month. This happens more quickly when the woman gets older.

3. What factors increase the risk of infertility in women?

Ans. Several factors can increase the risk of infertility in women, including:

• Age: As you age, your egg quality starts to decline. Older women also have fewer eggs left, and they are more likely to suffer from health problems that cause fertility problems. Aging also increases the risk of a woman’s miscarriage and having a child with a genetic abnormality.
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol drinking.
• Being overweight, obese, or underweight.
• Extreme weight gain or loss.
• Dealing with excessive physical or emotional stress that leads to absent periods.

4. What causes women’s infertility?

Ans. Many reasons affect the ability to conceive a baby, especially if you’re in your 30s and 40s. A healthy woman in her 20s or early 30s has 25 to 30% higher chances of conceiving each month. However, when the woman becomes 40 years old, the chances are 10% or less.

Besides age, many conditions affect the functioning of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus which need to work properly to get pregnant. Conditions that affect any of these organs and make them infertile, including:

• Disruption of ovarian function:

An average woman’s menstrual cycle is 28 days long and ovulation happens in the middle of the cycle. However, if you experience irregular periods then you can’t predict your ovulation. This disruption in ovarian function may be caused by several conditions, including:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): This condition causes women to not ovulate or ovulate irregularly due to hormone imbalances.
• Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR): This condition occurs when some eggs stay in the ovaries than expected at a specific age. It can happen due to congenital, medical, surgical, or unexplained causes.
• Impaired function of the hypothalamus or pituitary glands: Any problems in the hypothalamus and pituitary glands functioning can directly affect ovarian function because these glands produce hormones that are required to maintain the normal functioning of the ovaries.
• Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA): This condition is caused by excessive exercise, weight loss, stress, or the combination of these factors and affects ovarian function.
• Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI): This occurs when a woman’s ovaries fail before age 40.

• Fallopian tube obstruction:

This condition happens when the fallopian tubes have a blockage that prevents sperm from reaching an egg and an egg from traveling to the uterus. This makes the fertilization process nearly impossible and a major cause of female infertility found in 25 to 35% of all cases. Here are the several conditions or factors that cause fallopian tube obstruction, including:

• Having a history of pelvic infection.
• Ruptured appendix
• Gonorrhea
• Chlamydia
• Endometriosis
• Abdominal surgery in the past.

• Uterus abnormalities:

This condition causes malformation of the uterus during the development of the embryo. It occurs when a woman’s uterus develops differently such as having an unusual shape or size. This affects less than 5% of women but is found in up to 25% of women who had miscarriages or premature babies.  Problems that cause uterus abnormalities include:

• Intrauterine adhesions
• Endometrial polyps
• Adenomyosis
• Congenital anomalies of the uterus
• Fibroids

5. What factors increase the risk of infertility in men?

Ans. Certain factors can increase the risk of infertility in men, including:

• Age: Couples whose male partner is 40 or older are more likely to have difficulty conceiving.
• Being overweight or obese.
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol drinking or drug use.
• History of trauma to the testes.
• Exposure to testosterone, radiation, certain medicines, or certain environmental toxins.
• High-temperature exposure to the testes.

6. What causes women’s infertility?

Ans. Male infertility is caused by disruption of testicular or ejaculatory function, as well as hormonal and genetic disorders. Sometimes, sperm cells are out of shape, or they die before they reach the egg.

Here are the main causes of disruption of testicular or ejaculatory function, including:

• Varicocele: This condition enlarges testicle veins and affects the quantity or shape of the sperm.
• Trauma to the testes: Any injury or trauma to the testes may affect sperm production and result in a lower quantity of sperm.
• Unhealthy habits: Habits like excessively drinking alcohol, smoking, anabolic steroid use, and illicit drug use can decrease sperm production.
• Cancer treatment: It includes certain types of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to remove one or both testicles that may affect sperm production or the ability of sperm to fertilize an egg.
• Medical conditions: Health conditions like diabetes, cystic fibrosis, certain types of autoimmune disorders, and certain types of infections may lead to testicular failure.
• Hormonal disorders: If your hypothalamus or pituitary gland is not working properly then it can lead to infertility because these gland’s hormones are essential to maintain normal testicular function. Too many of these hormones, especially prolactin, can result in infertility. Here are some hormonal disorders that cause infertility, including:
  • Malignant (cancerous) pituitary tumors
  • Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
  • High exposure to estrogen
  • High exposure to testosterone
  • Cushing’s syndrome
  • Chronic use of medications called glucocorticoids
• Genetic conditions: Some genetic conditions cause no sperm or low numbers of sperm, including – Klinefelter’s syndrome, Y-chromosome microdeletion, and Myotonic dystrophy.

7. When should couples seek medical help?

Ans. Couples should seek medical help when they are unable to achieve pregnancy after a year of unprotected intercourse. The doctor will examine both of you by performing a physical examination to find out about your general health and evaluate physical disorders that may be causing infertility. Usually, both partners have to answer questions about their sexual habits to determine whether intercourse is taking place properly for conception or not.

If no cause can be found during a physical exam and medical history, the doctor may recommend more specific tests. For women, it includes testing of body temperature and ovulation, an x-ray of the fallopian tubes and uterus, and a laparoscopy. For men, testing focuses on semen analysis.

Female infertility doctors play a significant role in modern reproductive medicine in providing new and improved treatment plans to treat women’s infertility. This includes In-vitro fertilization (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI), natural pregnancy etc. After conceiving is achieved, they guide how to keep yourself and your child healthy.

If you need help with infertility, visit our gynecology clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!!

At Doral Health and Wellness – Women’s Health Center, we have the best GYN doctor in Brooklyn, and we provide women with quality health care services. To schedule an appointment, you can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212 or call us on 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at The Role Of Female Infertility Doctors In Modern Reproductive Medicine – Doral Health & Wellness Brooklyn NY