After marriage, many couples hope to have children. However, it is not uncommon for couples who have waited a long time to have children to feel worried when the pregnancy does not come. In situations like this, it is important to check the fertility condition of each partner, because infertility could be the cause.
Infertility is a fertility problem that occurs when a woman is unable to get pregnant after having sex regularly for a year without using contraception. This condition can occur in one or both partners.
However, it is important to remember that not all couples who experience difficulty in producing offspring experience infertility. Further explanation will be presented below.
Factors Causing Infertility
Infertility can happen to anyone, but there are some conditions that can increase the risk. The following are factors that cause infertility.
1. Unhealthy Lifestyle
A person's body and health have a big impact on everything they do and eat. Unhealthy lifestyles, such as smoking, drinking alcohol and eating fast food, can reduce fertility levels. It also has the potential to damage reproductive organs, increase the risk of miscarriage, and cause birth defects in women who smoke because cigarette smoke can disrupt egg cells and cause infertility.
2. Overweight or Underweight
A person's weight is often an indication of their health. People who are overweight often have a risk of serious illness. Apart from that, being overweight can also disrupt the reproductive system and make it difficult to get pregnant.
However, this does not mean that a body that is too thin is free from the risk of infertility. Body weight that is less than normal often indicates a lack of nutrients needed by the body, which can disrupt the function of the body's organs.
3. Hormonal Disorders
Hormonal disorders can happen to anyone, and the signs are often visible in physical condition. For example, hormonal disorders during pregnancy can affect other body organs.
In addition, hormonal disorders can affect sperm production in men and egg cells in women. Most hormonal disorders occur as a person ages, but there are also other factors such as drug use that can trigger these disorders.
4. Cervical Disorders
Cervical mucus in women is very important in the reproductive process. This helps sperm reach the egg more easily, allowing fertilization to occur in the uterus. However, disruption of the cervix can change its mucus and inhibit sperm. The health condition of women's intimate organs is often the cause of this problem.
5. Hereditary Factors
Infertility can be caused by genetic factors inherited from the family. In men, about 15% of infertility can be related to genetics. For example, sperm production disorders can be inherited from parents and some genetic conditions such as Klinefelter and Kallman syndrome can cause infertility.
Likewise, genetics also influences about 10% of female infertility cases. Certain genetic factors, such as inherited chromosomal changes or single gene variants from parents, may play a role. In addition, if there is a family history of medical conditions such as premature menopause or endometriosis, then a person may have a higher risk of experiencing similar health problems.
Infertility Prevention
Sone way to treat infertility is to improve sperm quality in men and maintain women's menstrual cycles according to doctor's recommendations. However, to prevent infertility, there are several simple tips that you and your partner can do from now on. Among them are:
- Do regular intercourse during the fertile time to increase the chances of pregnancy.
- Avoid using illegal drugs.
- Stop consuming alcoholic drinks and stop smoking.
- Pay attention to body temperature that is not too high, because it can influence the quality and motility of sperm.
- Exercise regularly to improve sperm quality in men and maintain a smooth menstrual cycle in women.
- Keep your weight at an ideal level.
- Consume balanced foods that are rich in nutrients.
- Follow your doctor's instructions regarding the use of fertility drugs.
- Consider assisted reproductive technologies such as IUI (Intrauterine Insemination), IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), and GIFT (Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer) if necessary.
Even though there are many causes of infertility that can be experienced by married couples, you don't need to feel hopeless. This problem can be overcome with the right steps, such as consulting a doctor as soon as possible. You still have a chance to achieve pregnancy.
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