If you’ve been trying actively to get pregnant for a year, or six months for couples older than 35, seek help for infertility. At West Coast Obstetrics & Gynecology in Bradenton, Florida, the OB/GYN team can help evaluate you and your partner and offer treatments to encourage a healthy, successful pregnancy. To learn more about how the compassionate staff can help you create the family you desire, call the office or book an appointment online.
Infertility is the inability to get pregnant after a year of having unprotected sex regularly. You may also be diagnosed with infertility if you can get pregnant but have repeated miscarriages or stillbirths.
Infertility is a difficult situation and in one-third of cases, the reason for infertility is unspecified -- meaning a reason for the infertility is not found. In one-third of cases, infertility can be traced to issues with the woman; but in another third of cases, the issues can be traced back to the man. Infertility is relatively common, with about 15% of couples unable to get pregnant.
Women may experience infertility due to issues with their pelvic organs. These include:
Some women also have pelvic adhesions or scar tissue that remains after infection or surgery. These bind your reproductive organs and interfere with pregnancy.
Men may experience infertility due to abnormal sperm production, overexposure to certain environmental factors, cancer, or sexual dysfunction.
Age, substance use, being over- or underweight, and either over or under exercising can put you at risk of infertility. Most of these risk factors can be addressed with lifestyle changes.
At West Coast Obstetrics & Gynecology, your OB/GYN recommends tests depending on the suspected cause of your infertility and any other symptoms, such as pelvic pain or irregular bleeding.
They may test your hormone levels to determine if you’re ovulating and have you undergo imaging tests to look for irregularities in the organs. The doctors also test the quality and quantity of your eggs, as well as of your partner’s semen.
You may also undergo a procedure called a hysterosalpingography, which looks at your uterus and fallopian tubes for blockages or other issues. In rarer cases, you may need minor surgery to get a better look at your reproductive organs.
The way infertility is treated depends on the cause, and if no cause is found, your doctor may stimulate ovulation with specific drugs, recommend intrauterine insemination, or perform surgery to restore your fertility. If the issue is due to your partner, he may also need medications, lifestyle changes, or surgery, depending on the cause.
To learn more about infertility and treatment, call West Coast Obstetrics & Gynecology or book an appointment online.
