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Caring Medical
& Rehabilitation Services
715 Lake Street, Suite 600
Oak Park, Illinois 60301
708.848.7789 Phone
708.848.7763 Fax
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CONDITION: Infertility
DESCRIPTION:
Infertility is the inability to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected intercourse. Primary infertility is used to describe a couple who has never been able to conceive a pregnancy after at least 1 year of unprotected intercourse. Secondary infertility describes couples who have previously been pregnant at least once, but have not been able to achieve another pregnancy. Infertility, also known as subfertility, may be due to a single cause in either member of the couple, or a combination of factors that may prevent a pregnancy from occurring or continuing.
Infertility should not be confused with sterility. A diagnosis of infertility simply means that becoming pregnant may be a challenge rather than an impossibility. Infertility, which has increased as a problem over the past 30 years, affects at least one out of every 10 American couples.
How does infertility develop?
Becoming pregnant involves the intricate processes of ovulation and fertilization, which need to work together just right. Infertility occurs when something goes wrong with one or both of these complex processes in either the man and/or the woman. The most common causes of male infertility include abnormal sperm production or function; impaired delivery of sperm; conditions related to a man's general health and lifestyle such as stress, hormonal imbalances, obesity and age; and overexposure to certain environmental elements. The most causes of female infertility, on the other hand, include fallopian tube damage or blockage; endometriosis; ovulation disorders; elevated prolactin; polycystic ovary syndrome; early menopause; benign uterine fibroids; and pelvic adhesions.
Risk factors for both male and female infertility include:
- chromosomal abnormalities
- age
- tobacco smoking
- alcohol consumption
- multiple sexual partners, which increases the risk for sexually treansmitted diseases (STDs)
- a past history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- a past medical history that includes DES exposure (in men and women)
- body mass
- being either underweight or overweight
No cause for the infertility is discovered in 3 to 4 percent of “infertile” couples. About 40 percent of the time, the root of the couple's infertility is due to a problem with the male partner; about 40 percent of the time, it is due to the female partner; and about 20 percent of the time, fertility problems involve both the man and the woman.
What are the symptoms of infertility?
Most men with fertility problems have no signs or symptoms. However, some men with hormonal problems may note a change in their voice or pattern of hair growth, breast enlargement or difficulty with sexual function. Infertility in women may be signaled by irregular menstrual periods or associated with conditions that cause pain during menstruation or intercourse. Infertility may also be accompanied by a wide range of emotions felt by one or both members of the couple. These painful emotions are usually greater among couples who are childless as compared to couples with at least one child.
While conventional medical treatments may result in the desired pregnancy, it is often at the cost of side effects, and often takes years of patience and persistence. By addressing the underlying physiological cause of the condition, as natural medicine treatments do, infertility may be reversed faster, with fewer health risks and often at a lower cost.
Discover why we believe that natural medicine treatments are the best way to treat infertility.
Learn about the treatments for
Infertility
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The treatment regimens suggested here are based on the experience Caring Medical. They do not apply to every case or condition. A person using these recommendations without the aid of a personal physician does so at their own risk.
This information is provided for informational purposes only. It is essential to have your condition evaluated by your own personal physician.
For an appointment with Ross Hauser, M.D., please call 708-848-7789. or email us at scheduling@caringmedical.com.
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