What Does It Mean to Be Infertile?
Infertility is defined as:
- Under 35 years old: You have been unable to get pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term after trying for 1 year or longer
- 35 or older: You have been unable to get pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term after trying for 6 months or longer
Problems with fertility can affect one or both partners. For women, it can be caused by a variety of gynecological disorders and abnormalities, including:
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Thyroid disorders, such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism
- Uterine fibroids
- Endometriosis
- Sexually transmitted infections, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Pelvic scar tissue (adhesions) that develops after infection or surgery
Occasionally, no cause can be identified for fertility problems.
How We Can Help
At EstrogenicA Health 360, our providers will take the time to thoroughly review your medical history and address any concerns you may have.
There are a number of fertility tests we can perform, including blood tests that measure hormone levels and imaging tests that can evaluate the condition of your reproductive organs, such as the uterus and fallopian tubes.
Your fertility treatment options will depend on what may be causing the infertility. For example, fertility treatments we offer include:
These medications can help to either regulate or stimulate ovulation. Fertility drugs generally work like your natural hormones do, triggering ovulation. These drugs may be administered by injections or be taken orally.
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) involves implanting healthy sperm into the uterus during ovulation. This may be done in conjunction with the use of fertility drugs.
In a traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure, mature eggs are retrieved and fertilized outside a woman’s body, typically by mixing sperm and egg in a petri dish in a laboratory. In some cases – or when semen count or quality is poor – a single healthy sperm may be injected directly into a mature egg. Then the fertilized eggs (embryos) are implanted in the uterus a few days later. Fertility drugs are almost always used with IVF.
If polyps, fibroids, or scar tissue is hindering your ability to become pregnant, in many cases, we can perform minimally invasive surgery to restore your fertility.