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Getting pregnant may seem easy, but it can actually be a struggle, especially for couples with infertility issues.
At a recent “The Art of Getting Pregnant” press conference, fertility doctors Virgilio Novero Jr. and Eileen Manalo shared some information and misconceptions about infertility.
Citing a 2013 Synovate survey, Novero said the incidence of infertility in the Philippines is around 8-10%.
The percentage of conception in any cycle is approximately 20-22% with the key events necessary for ovulation, fertilization and implantation.
Any condition that would interfere with these necessary events can lead to infertility.
So how do you know if it’s infertility or if it’s just one of the three? Novero and Manalo answer these often whispered questions.
How Do You Know If You Have Infertility Problems?
Citing the Centers for Diseases (CDC), Novero said a couple are considered to have infertility issues when they fail to “conceive with unprotected sex after one year for those under 35 and 6 months for those over 35 or with co-morbidities “.
It is therefore a one-year trial for people under 35, and 6 months for those over 35 or with co-morbidities.
What Causes Infertility?
According to Novero, some of the common factors that cause infertility include:
- “The time and frequency of sexual intercourse
- the presence of sexually transmitted diseases or other infections
- lifestyle factors such as nutrition, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and caffeine
- age”
Novero said the most important and common factor is the age of the couple trying to conceive, adding that “the older the woman, the harder it is to get pregnant.”
Novero also said that some of the basic categories that cause infertility include 35% pure female factors, 30% pure male factors, 27% female and male factors combined and 8% for the unexplained.
What are these female factors, you will ask? These are tubal factors, ovulation disorders (PCOS, endometriosis), uterine factors and advanced maternal age.
Male factors include primary testicular disease, secondary testicular disease, sperm transport disorders, sexual dysfunction, and idiopathic sperm abnormalities.
Why is it more difficult for women to get pregnant the older they get?
Novero said that “fertility decreases as a woman tries to get pregnant” because the ovarian reserve decreases in quantity, especially for women over 40, and the quality of the eggs should also be examined for those who have. advanced in maternal age.
According to Novero, the 37-38 year olds are somewhat critical. “Yes [a woman doesn’t] get pregnant at this age, there will be a sudden drop in a woman’s fertility. “
Manalo however said “as long as your blood pressure is controlled, the sugar is controlled, we can still work on your pregnancy.”
Still, she says, “it’s always good to try and achieve when your ovarian function is at its peak, which is around 20 to 25 years old. That would be the best.”
Thus, women who marry late or those who marry after 35 or 40 are encouraged to seek professional advice if they wish to become pregnant.
What should you do next if you think you are infertile?
Manalo said that before seeking treatment, a person should first be diagnosed. The best thing to do is to seek the help of a fertility doctor.
She said the doctor would look at the patient’s history, examine her physical attributes if she might be obese or have excess androgens.
“So if you see signs of excess androgens like acne or excess hair, she’s probably having anovulatory cycles,” she said.
Manalo said the woman will also have an ovarian reserve test to check and get things done if she has low ovarian reserve.
But that doesn’t mean infertility is a woman’s problem.
Manalo said the men should also have a semen test to check the quality of their semen, sharing an anecdote about a patient who has been asking her for help for almost a year when her husband has yet to have semen analysis.
When they finally got him to do it, they learned he didn’t have sperm.
“The man will have to join us”, underlines Manalo because “half of the problem [might] come from the male. “
When they locate the infertility problem, doctors will administer treatments that include drugs that can be taken to increase sperm count and for women to improve or treat ovulation problems.
What are some of the things you can do to avoid infertility issues?
Novero highlights four lifestyle factors that cause infertility:
- smoking
- obesity
- alcohol
- caffeine consumption
“When it comes to lifestyle, these are the things that can affect your fertility, the evidence shows,” Novero said.
“When it comes to diet, there are special diets that are high in estrogen and when you follow a diet high in estrogen it can adversely affect a woman’s fertility. When it does, she may have problems with it. ‘ovulation,’ he added. .
Manalo adds that there is some evidence that indicates that a Mediterranean diet, which consists of “fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of nuts, low in carbohydrates and low in oils, but if you want to use oil, the olive oil would be good [a good option]” can help.
“Sometimes we give antioxidants, supplements, which can increase our patients’ sperm count. This can be given to patients who are a little older, who are over 35 or even older in their 40s,” he said.
Manalo said obesity is a major factor that causes infertility because apart from “poor quality eggs” obesity can also increase a person’s risk of miscarriage. This can lead to limitation of pregnancy and complications during pregnancy.
“A 5-10% weight loss can go a long way in producing good quality eggs,” added Manalo.
Are positioning and frequency important during sex when trying to get pregnant?
For Manalo, it’s “not much of a problem unless there is something anatomically wrong with your cervix or uterus. It’s not too much of a problem.”
But all the same, Manalo said frequent sex will not lead to infertility, nor will it increase the chances of getting pregnant.
Instead, Manalo advises couples to have sex “when they are most fertile,” which she says is called the concept of coitus.
“It doesn’t hurt if you have daily contact just when they’re ovulating – maybe 3 days in a row would be good,” she said.
When should I consider preserving fertility?
Preserving fertility, like freezing eggs, should be considered if you fall into these four categories, Novero said:
- are undergoing cancer treatment and are undergoing gonadotoxic treatment or surgery
- young women with mild illness who are also undergoing gonadotoxic treatment or surgery
- transgender patients assigned women at birth,
- age-related loss of fertility
“Each of these groups is subject to certain factors that will force them to preserve their fertility before the subject factors,” he said.
“The concept is to identify patients at risk, before they undergo treatment for cancer, their disease progression, sex change, you get their fertility tissues, you preserve fertility, you preserve their tissues. and these are safe in storage and would be used for future use, ”he added. – LA, GMA News
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