Acupuncture - Female infertility

Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant despite of trying frequently for more than a year.

- DR. GOWRI B. N. and DR. VENKATESH PRASAD K. N.

Infertility can affect both men and women and in some cases it is self-diagnosable. In many, if the couple is unaware of the reason, doctors can run many different kinds of tests to help determine what might be causing fertility problems for an individual or couple. However, this article focuses on women infertility.

Causes of infertility:

Female infertility is often due to problems with ovulation that may be caused by ovulation disorders like:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)
• Hyperprolactinemia

Female infertility can also be caused by uterine or cervical abnormalities, fallopian tube damage, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, severe psychological distress etc.

Symptoms:

The main symptom of infertility is the inability to get pregnant. A menstrual cycle that’s too long (35 days or more), too short (less than 21 days), irregular or absence of menstrual cycle can mean that you’re not ovulating.

Tests for women:

Fertility for women relies on the ovaries releasing healthy eggs. The reproductive tract must allow an egg to pass into the fallopian tubes and join with sperm for fertilization. The fertilized egg must travel to the uterus and implant in the lining. Tests for female infertility try to find out if any of these processes are impaired.

Ovulation testing: A blood test measures hormone levels to determine whether you’re ovulating or not.