Signs and Symptoms of Infertility

Infertility is the inability to conceive even after trying so for a year or so. There are many signs and symptoms of infertility, among both men and women. 

Signs of female infertility

Among women, the signs of infertility could be any of these factors:

• No menstruation or amenorrhea.
• Short or long menstrual cycles, of less than 21 days or over 35 days.
• Extremely heavy periods.
• Menstruation that comes with excessive pain.
• Very light periods, clotty menstruation or bleeding in the middle of a cycle.

Female Infertility Signs (Photo Courtesy: http://www.theguardian.com)

Hormonal imbalances could also manifest themselves as symptoms such as hair loss, receding hair line, palpitations, low libido and depression. If you are a woman who is over the age of 35, the risk of infertility is greater. The symptoms of infertility among women include endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, uterine fibroids, cysts in the ovaries, blocked fallopian tubes, and history of miscarriages.

Signs of male infertility

Male infertility is also a huge factor when it comes to couples being unable to conceive. The signs and symptoms specific to men when it comes to finding out if they are infertile are as follows:

• Low sperm count
• Abnormalities in shape of sperm
• Poor or abnormal movement of sperm
• Immobility of sperm
• Abnormalities in sperm production
• Hereditary or genetic problems
• Erectile dysfunction
• Vasectomy related issues (Men who have undergone vasectomy develop antibodies which are anti-sperm)
• Structural or physical abnormalities in terms of the shape of testicles

Male Infertility Signs (Photo Courtesy: http://www.conceiveeasy.com)

Other symptoms

Some of the other signs that are indicative of your infertility could be a thyroid problem, low body weight, obesity, diabetes, alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction, hypertension, chemotherapy or radiation for cancer treatment, and autoimmune disorders among others.

If you are a woman and have noticed that your skin texture has changed and you have a lot more acne than before, or there is dark hair growth on the lips or chin, loss of hair. It could be a hormonal problem related to infertility. Changes in your sexual drive, painful intercourse, and white discharge from nipples are also other symptoms you need to keep an eye on.

Among men, infertility signs may be vague and often unrecognized. They include change in growth of hair, pain, lumps or swellings in testicles, problems related to ejaculation and change in sexual drive among others.

If you are woman over 35 and are trying to have a baby, it is time you saw a doctor if you haven’t been able to get pregnant in six months. There are many fertility hospitals in Bangalore you can choose from. The doctor will tell you to undergo certain tests including blood, urine or imaging tests. Men will be asked to go through a sperm analysis. If there are problems, your doctor at the infertility centre in Bangalore will suggest the next course of action. This includes assisted reproductive treatments such as IVF. If your problem can be solved with some lifestyle changes, you could be asked to change your habits and try to conceive yet again.

Guide for Preventing Infertility

If you are worried about infertility, there are some aspects you need to keep a close watch on, the principal one among them being age. If you are too young or too old, then, there’s a problem with conceiving. If you are a teenage girl, you are too young to bear children because your body is still preparing for the future. However, if you are a woman who is over 35, you may experience problems with getting pregnant. With age, your fertility only decreases. Ideally, women in their twenties and early thirties are at the right age to achieve pregnancy.

While deciding when to have a baby is a highly personal choice, it is also important to keep an eye on the biological clock. Also, there are many lifestyle aspects you could change to improve your chances of getting pregnant.

Tips for women

• Cut down on caffeine. This is probably the simplest step and may seem insignificant, but any doctor will tell you to restrict your caffeine intake.

Caffeine & Fertility in Women (Photo Courtesy: http://www.compasscayman.com)

• Avoid medications that could affect your fertility. Don’t take drugs/medication without the advice of your doctor. Some drugs such as anti-inflammatory ones can make conception tougher.

Medications that affect your fertility (Photo Courtesy: http://shop.wildirisbooks.com)

• Cut down on smoking and alcohol, because they can harm your health as well as the health of your baby.
• Women need to get regular physical exercise, but overdoing exercise can affect your periods or your fertility.
• Controlling obesity is very important because any extremes in weight, either gain or loss, may cause hormonal production.

Tips for men:

• Steer clear of drugs, smoking or alcohol as any of these can contribute to male infertility.

Avoid Smoking & Alcohol, Male Fertility (Photo Courtesy: http://www.blisstree.com)

• Age doesn’t affect women alone; it also makes an impact on male fertility. As men grow older, the sperm quality decreases.
  Avoiding extreme heat conditions like saunas also prevent infertility among men.
• As far as possible, avoid exposure to environmental toxins, pesticides etc as they affect fertility both among men and women.

In general, both women and men should stop getting anxious and practise a healthy lifestyle, include a few minutes of meditation or a holistic exercise programme such as yoga. Eating a balanced diet is crucial; women should eat green, leafy vegetables that have high folic acid content. This helps prevent birth defects.

Get regular screening

Women should get themselves screened from time to time, so they know they don’t have problems such as polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid problems or ovarian failure before the woman turns 40. Damage to the fallopian tubes can also make it difficult for a woman to conceive naturally. Fibroids can also lower fertility, and so does endometriosis. Men too need to get themselves tested for sperm quality or sperm structure. Some men experience problems with ejaculation as well, and it is best to consult one of the infertility doctors in Bangalore at the earliest. There are many infertility clinics in Bangalore you can go to for consultation.