A woman’s age is probably the most significant factor related to her ability to conceive. While many women today are waiting until later in life to attempt pregnancy, the ovary’s ability to produce normal, healthy eggs declines with age, increasing the risk of chromosomal abnormalities and unsuccessful implantation.
According to CDC, about 10% of women in the United States are facing difficulty in getting pregnant. A couple is considered as infertile if they failed to become pregnant after one year (for women who are 35 or older) or 6 months (for women under 35) of steady, unprotected sex. There are several possible women infertility causes, and neverthelss there are things that a woman can do to better her odds of getting pregnant.
Some of the women infertility causes are quite simple. Age can be a very big issue. Many women waited until they past 30 years old before trying to conceive, but fertility declines dramatically after 35, and that makes conception more difficult.
Over the years, a woman’s eggs get older like her and the egg reserve becomes smaller. This can greatly affect her odds of conception. If a woman who is 35 or older and her partner have been trying to conceive for 6 months or longer without any success, she should see her doctor to find out what treatments for infertility are available.
Some infertility causes in women are simply associated with health, habits and diet. If a woman wants to get pregnant and she smokes, she needs to stop. Smoking is known to increase the amount of mucus around the cervix, which makes conception more difficult.
Another important health factor is diet. She should eat healthy food, not junk, and make sure she gets plenty of folic acid. She should also add preconception vitamins into her diet. A poor diet can contribute to conception problems. A woman wanting to conceive should also try her hardest to achieve a healthy weight, with a BMI of 19-24. Of course, exercise is important.
If a woman is unable to conceive after a year, she may want to consult her doctor’s advice. The doctor understands well about the different women infertility causes, and knows how to diagnose the underlying problem, which could be a more serious medical condition (e.g. fibroid in the uterus) that requires medical intervention.
The doctor also knows what’s the best way to deal with the infertility cause. It may be something easy, such as using an ovulation kit to help determine her fertile days, or a fertility drug to help her release more egg per cycle, or he may select another option.
As long as the exact problem is identified, the cause of infertility can be treated accordingly, and there will be a better chance of getting conceived. Alternatively, women can also learn how to increase fertility naturally.