The diagnosis infertility is extremely difficult to cope with for anyone who, sooner or later, wants to fulfill a child's wish. Both women and men can be affected. In both cases, however, the inability to conceive can have various causes and thus also therapeutic options.
What is Infertility in Women?
Under the diagnosis infertility one understands in women the infertility or sterility of these. In the case of men, however, one speaks of the inability to conceive (see article on infertility and inability to conceive in men).
Both diagnoses are considered when a couple's reproduction is difficult or impossible in the long run. However, there are just as many degrees of severity of fertility in women as there are different causes and therapy options.
Basically, however, one only speaks of actual infertility if the difficult fertility persists for at least two years. Because infertility in women can also be of a temporary nature.
causes
The infertility is divided into two types in women. On the one hand, there is sterility, in which pregnancy does not occur in the first place.
On the other hand, there is also the case of infertility, in which the egg cell is fertilized but cannot be carried to term. Both types of infertility have different causes.
On the one hand, physical reasons can be to blame for the infertility of women: hormonal fluctuations, inflammation and malformations of the egg ladder, malformations of the uterus, but also various diseases such as diabetes mellitus. On the other hand, psychological stress and old age can also lead to infertility.
Symptoms, ailments & signs
In addition to the absence of pregnancy, there are no clear symptoms for sterility, i.e. the inability to conceive, or for infertility, a disorder in which the egg cell is fertilized but cannot be carried to term. If a couple does not become pregnant after a period of two years despite regular sexual intercourse during the fertile phase, this merely indicates a disorder in one of the two partners.
Symptoms that are often associated with sterility in women are an irregular cycle, intermenstrual bleeding and spotting, and permanently thickened cervical mucus. These symptoms suggest a lack of estrogen as the cause of the infertility. However, menstrual cycle disorders occur in women without a pathological cause and can also be triggered by stress or other psychological factors.
However, hot flashes, depressive moods and lack of sleep are characteristic, especially if these symptoms are also accompanied by skin problems such as acne or hair loss. Pulling or stabbing pain in the abdomen, which does not only occur during menstruation, can indicate a deformation or pathological change in the genital organs as well as acute inflammation.
Ovaries are often blocked by an unrecognized and untreated inflammation, which makes conception impossible. In addition, abnormal changes in the genital organs are not always accompanied by symptoms and are sometimes only discovered during a routine gynecological examination.
Diagnosis & course
A infertility cannot always be diagnosed at first glance.
Because the female cycle is very dependent on the woman's well-being. If you feel unwell or suffer from illness, hormonal fluctuations can occur very quickly, which can affect a woman's fertility. Women who want to have children and who are afraid of being sterile should therefore choose a gynecologist they trust and seek competent advice.
In addition, a mature egg does not necessarily have to “jump” with every cycle. Therefore, actual infertility is usually only considered after about two years of unsuccessful attempts to become pregnant. Before starting the actual diagnosis, however, you have to distinguish whether there is a possible infertility or rather a sterility.
Then there are various examinations, such as blood and ultrasound examinations, which can provide more detailed information about the status of the feared infertility. In addition, possible physical complaints must be clarified - if they exist.
Complications
Infertility and fertility problems in women can lead to various complaints. Most of those affected suffer from severe psychological complaints and in many cases also from depression. Those affected do not feel comfortable with the disease and thus suffer from a significantly reduced self-esteem and inferiority complexes.
Furthermore, the woman's infertility and inability to conceive can lead to tension or complications with her own partner, as the desire to have children cannot be pursued. If the woman's infertility and the inability to conceive are triggered by another underlying disease, the underlying disease may also lead to other symptoms.
However, no general forecast can be made about this. Direct treatment of the disease is not always impossible. In many cases, patients are therefore also dependent on other options in order to meet the desire to have children. There are no particular complications. However, the desire to have children cannot be fulfilled in every case.
In some cases, the adoption of a child is the last option left for the couple or the patient. In most cases, the patient's life expectancy is not negatively affected by the woman's infertility and inability to conceive.
When should you go to the doctor?
If couples try to have a child in a targeted manner, doctors generally recommend that both partners have a check-up carried out in advance. During the visit, fertility or techniques can be discussed. In addition, extensive advice on the woman's fertile time should be obtained.
In many cases, information about optimal conception can be obtained on your own without consulting a doctor. If questions remain unanswered or if there are various concerns, it is advisable to consult a doctor for a consultation. If pregnancy does not take place for a few months despite several attempts, a doctor's visit is required. This explains a possible fertility and shows possible solutions if the woman is infertile.
If an unfulfilled wish for pregnancy leads to psychological and emotional problems, a doctor should be consulted. Help should be sought in the case of peculiarities of the personality, long-lasting sadness or depressive moods. Permanently reduced wellbeing, general weakness or malaise are indications that should be investigated. Insomnia, lack of concentration or attention, and mental absenteeism are also signs of an existing illness. A doctor is needed to assess the extent of the disorder. If the daily obligations can no longer be fulfilled, a doctor must be consulted.
Treatment & Therapy
To a infertility To be able to treat women specifically and sustainably, the cause must always be found out first. Since there are many possible reasons for this, there are also quite a few treatment and therapy options that can be used for a woman's fertility disorder.
For one, there are various hormonal treatments. They are mostly used when there are hormonal discrepancies - which is the case with a large number of causes. The best examples of this are irregular cycles, excessive stress, psychological problems and also physical hormone imbalances.
Another option is artificial insemination. This is usually taken into account if you are in sufficient physical health, but also if you have severe problems getting pregnant. It becomes more difficult when the cause is physical. In some cases, however, this can also be counteracted in a targeted manner.
However, treatment is not always possible if the uterus or ovaries are severely malformed. In very drastic cases, it is often almost impossible for those affected to become pregnant or to have a healthy child. Unfortunately, with the current state of medical research, these women have to come to terms with the fact that they will not be able to bear children.
prevention
The best way to counteract a psychologically conditioned one infertility only through a healthy lifestyle. This means that you should eat healthily and avoid excessive alcohol or smoking at the latest when starting family planning. In addition, it is important to prevent and avoid excessive stress as much as possible while trying to get pregnant. Because these two factors can also affect a woman's fertility. Physical causes can only be prevented to a limited extent, if at all.
Aftercare
In principle, no specific follow-up measures are necessary for women who are infertile or unable to conceive. The person concerned does not have to seek any further medical care unless they have any physical or psychological complaints. However, many infertile women develop depression or depressive moods due to the unfulfilled desire to have children.
It is therefore often advisable to see a psychotherapist. In some cases, long-term therapy is advisable. Often a few sessions are required. The affected woman should avoid stress for the first few months after the diagnosis. A healthy lifestyle can contribute to better well-being in women with infertility and infertility.
A stable social environment is helpful here. Unwanted childlessness often leads to relationship problems. Therefore, marriage or couples therapy can sometimes be supportive. In some cases, infertility and the inability to conceive can be caused by serious primary diseases. Depending on the cause, a number of additional follow-up measures may then be necessary. Usually at least some gynecological exams are required.
Sometimes the women affected should also see an endocrinologist. Occasionally there is spontaneous healing in the case of infertility. For this reason, particularly affected patients who do not want to have children should not do without contraception measures. Regular check-ups with a gynecologist are also necessary in these cases.
You can do that yourself
This diagnosis is usually very stressful for the women concerned. It can therefore be helpful for them to take a closer look at the causes of infertility in order to better understand their own situation.
If the infertility is due to physical causes such as hormonal imbalances, malformations of the genital organs or diabetes, these causes can be treated to a certain extent and thus eliminated.
It is certainly worse for the affected women if no reasons for the infertility or sterility can be found. Most of the time, the infertility is based on psychological causes. These women can be helped by psychotherapeutic treatment which may reveal what exactly is preventing this woman from becoming pregnant. At the same time, psychotherapy can prevent depression and compensate for deficits in self-esteem. This is especially true when the infertility stems from physical causes that are irreparable. These women would do well to deal with the issues of “adoption” or “foster child” or to set other goals in life.
If psychological causes are to blame for a woman's infertility, anything can help her that can also help against depression. If a woman is feeling well and healthy, pregnancy is more likely than if she is dissatisfied, depressed, and sad. A good, healthy diet, adequate sleep and plenty of exercise have a positive influence on wellbeing.
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