Infertility may be caused by a single or combination of factors affecting either partner. About 33% of these cases are due to Male Infertility, 33% to female infertility and the rest to unidentifiable factors. The good news is that with the proper medical treatment, most of the infertility factors described below may be resolved. If you have any further questions or concerns, book an appointment.
Female Infertility Factors:
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)is a common female hormone imbalance that causes cysts to grow on the ovaries and ovulatory disorders meaning that ovulation may occur irregularly or not at all, making it difficult to get pregnant naturally.
- Irregular Menstrual Cycle: Some women have hormonal imbalances that cause them to skip or have irregular periods, affecting their fertility.
- Diminished Ovarian Reserve: The ovarian reserve refers to the capacity of ovaries to produce eggs that are capable of becoming fertilized. The ovarian reserve naturally begins to decline at the age of 35 but may decline earlier due to a number of factors.
- Recurrent Miscarriage:Miscarriages may occur because of a range of factors, many that are combatable. Most can be attributed to chromosomal abnormalities, hormonal, anatomic or immunological factors.
- Endometriosisis the growth of endometrial tissues in places other than the lining of uterus. Endometriosis affects a females’ fertility by changing the shape and interrupting the function of the ovaries, fallopian tubes or uterus.
- Secondary Infertilityis defined as the inability to conceive another (not necessarily second) child successfully and naturally.
- Blocked Fallopian Tubes: The fallopian tube is where fertilization of the egg occurs. If both or one of the tubes are blocked, fertilization is prevented.
- Fibroids, Polyps and Adenomyosisare different types of growths that may grow on the reproductive organs of a woman and negatively effect fertility.
Male Infertility Factors:
- Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA)is a minor procedure that typically takes 5-10 minutes under sedation. TESA is generally an option for men with Obstructive Azoospermia where it is expected that sperm will be found easily. During the procedure, sperm is directly removed from the testes to be used in an IVF-ICSI cycle.
- Micro-Dissection TESE (MicroTESE)is an invasive procedure utilized to locate sperm in men with Non-Obstructive Azoospermia or severe testicular failure. MicroTESE is especially helpful in these men as there may be very localized areas of sperm production that may be missed during blind biopsies or needle aspiration procedures. During a MicroTESE, the testes are surgically opened, tissue is inspected under a microscope and an intense search of every part of the testicle is performed to locate healthy areas that are more likely to contain sperm.
- Simultaneous Staged Sperm Retrieval Procedurebegins with Advanced Testicular Mapping, a technique during which a fine needle is placed in different areas of the testes, aspirating small samples of testicular tissue that is immediately analyzed for viable sperm. If adequate numbers of viable sperm are found, the procedure is terminated and the man is spared the open surgical Micro-Dissection TESE (MicroTESE). If no sperm is found in the aspirated samples, the surgeon immediately proceeds to perform a MicroTESE. Through Simultaneous Staged Sperm Retrieval, men get the highest chance of success with the least invasive method needed.
- Varicocelectomyinvolves a small microsurgical procedure in which swollen veins are tied off while preserving the normal blood vessels. Performing a Varicocelectomy results in the greatest chance of repair for a varicocele and is the most common operation performed for Male Infertility.
- Vasectomy Reversalis a microsurgical operation during which the tubes (vas deferens) that were cut during vasectomy are reconnected in order to allow natural conception. The success of the vasectomy reversal is typically dependent on the amount of time that has passed since the vasectomy.