“There is no better feeling than the movement of life inside of you.” This is what pregnancy blesses you with. However, not every couple seems to experience this mesmerizing transition of life even once in life. Science refers to those couples as infertile.
Infertility refers to the inability to get pregnant. It can be differentiated into two types: primary infertility and secondary infertility. Couples usually figure out their signs of infertility, but less they know about secondary infertility.
So, what is it? A couple is considered to suffer from secondary infertility when they fail to get pregnant after one or multiple successful pregnancies. In simple words, when parents of a single child or two fail to conceive again are known to have secondary infertility. There are several reasons that become the cause for secondary infertility and can be found both in men and women.
What are the causes of secondary infertility in females?
The fundamental causes of secondary or primary fertility tend to remain the same in women. No matter what reason it is, there is no easy way to cope with it. Every cause needs to be addressed with sincere medical attention.
Here are some of the common causes of infertility in women:
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Decreased quality and quantity of eggs:
With the limited supply of eggs and growing age, the quantity and quality of eggs in women’s ovaries tend to decrease. Age plays a critical role when the quality or quantity of eggs becomes the underlying cause of infertility among women. However, in cases where age has nothing to do, doctors diagnose the female partner for genetic disorders, medical history, and much more for contemplating the cause of infertility among women.
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Uterus problems:
Uterus disorders are often the underlying cause of secondary infertility in women. Conditions like scarring caused during c-section delivery or dilation, growth of fibroid or polyps, and a retained placenta leading to infections are all instances that make the uterus incapable of holding a pregnancy.
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Fallopian tubes’ issue:
Another common cause making women infertile is the presiding infection in the fallopian tubes. It hampers the transfer of eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. This blocking of fallopian tubes ends in secondary infertility among women.
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Endometriosis:
Endometriosis is a common infertility problem, and studies reveal that approximately 50% of women worldwide tend to suffer from it. Under this condition, a specific tissue that grows inside the uterus tends to grow somewhere else. However, the issue is quite prevalent among women, but every time it turns out to be the reason for infertility in women.
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Polycystic ovary syndrome:
PCOS is a worldwide spread infertility issue encompassing approximately 10% of women who report this issue. The infrequency of menstrual periods caused due to hormonal imbalance is known as PCOS. With this condition, the female body fails to release a minimal amount of eggs regularly due to an excess of male hormones.
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Lifestyle changes:
Another reason becoming the greater cause of infertility among women is high levels of stress and unhealthy lifestyles. Obesity becoming an epidemic is negatively impacting the female reproductive system ending them in making infertile.
What are the causes of secondary infertility in males?
People often blame and begin diagnosing the female partner for the inability to conceive. Less they know that the underlying infertility cause may lie in the male partner as well.
So, penning down the common causes of secondary infertility in men which include:
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Prostate enlargement or removal:
50% of the men in the age group above 50 suffer from prostate enlargement. This condition leads to lower sperm count and decreases ejaculation making men infertile. However, when the prostate health deteriorates, or it houses cancerous tumors, doctors recommend prostate removal. This leads to the semen’s backflow, which again is a major cause of secondary infertility among men.
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Poor quality semen:
In men as well, age counts as a major aspect of pregnancy. Like women, after a certain age, especially 40 years, the semen quality produced tends to be very low in men. Semen refers to the liquid carrying sperm, which automatically results in lower sperm count.
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Decreased testosterone level:
Conditions like diabetes, smallpox, genital infections, thyroid, blood disease, tumors, and many more can lead to declined levels of testosterone. This male reproductive hormone is critical for sperm production, and its reduced amount results in making men infertile. Growing age is often the cause of reduced testosterone production.
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Testicular varicocele:
Testicular varicocele is another highly prevalent infertility cause among men that leads to low sperm production. Studies suggest that 30% of men suffer from testicular varicocele. This condition occurs when the scrotum veins get enlarged, making it difficult for the body to produce a normal sperm count.
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Lifestyle changes:
Similar to women, men are no more bothered about their lifestyle and health. Bad eating habits, higher stress levels, and being ignorant of obesity are all the causes of infertility among men. The audacity of keeping health at stake has become a popular practice among both the genders and a common cause of infertility in men and women.
What are the treatments of secondary infertility?
Since we have accumulated all the causes of secondary infertility both in men and women, the question arises what next? Couples struggling to conceive need to immediately address the issue to an Infertility specialist for further prognosis and substantial treatment.
Based on the signs and diagnosed infertility cause, the doctor can suggest any of the following treatment:
- Medications : In not so severe cases, doctors recommend medication to either partner or both the partners. They are recommended to either normalize the hormones or enhance fertility or stimulate faster ovulation.
- Surgery : Problems like excessive endometriosis, uterus scarring, and uterine fibroids are all effectively treated by surgical procedures. Hysteroscopy and laparoscopy are two popular surgical procedures performed to get rid of infertility causes.
- Advanced reproductive technology: treatments like IVF, IUI, and ICSI are all advanced reproductive technologies that are helping thousands of couples to counter secondary infertility. Technology has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for infertile couples.
Final takeaway
Secondary infertility is no less than a curse for couples affecting both mentally and physically. Taking a toll on couples, secondary infertility is becoming very common day by day. So, it is necessary to consult at the initial stages.
For that, you need to choose the best infertility center where you can discuss your problems and their substantial treatments. If you are one such couple looking for a ray of hope to counter secondary infertility, connect with the best infertility center in Jalandhar, Vardaan Medical Center. Connect with us right away to vanish your infertility issue and experience the bliss of a little angel.
