Factors That Can Affect Your Fertility

It is not uncommon for couples who are trying to get pregnant to struggle for a while. This is because a lot of different factors affect one’s fertility, especially that of a woman’s. This is why during periods of attempting to conceive, it is important to pay attention both to daily habits and markers that pertain to one’s general health.

From age to smoking to your occupation, there are various aspects one can look into if there is struggle with conception. As the most trusted authority on in vitro fertilization in Davao, IVF Davao, Inc. wants to make sure patients are informed on what the different factors affecting fertility are.

If you have been trying to conceive naturally for a year to no avail, it may be time to consider the following factors.

Weight

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 12% of all infertility cases have something to do with the woman weighing too much or too little. Weight has an effect on how much (or how little) estrogen your body can produce, and if it cannot produce enough to stimulate the body to ovulate regularly, difficulty in conception may be expected.

Sleeping time

Pointing to another study by the ASRM, women with more irregular nightly and morning routines may require more time to get pregnant compared to women who go to bed and wake at more or less the same time every day.

Smoking

Smoking is a common culprit for women struggling to conceive. Chemicals found in cigarettes such as nicotine, cyanide, and carbon monoxide are known to have a negative impact on eggs (and on sperm, for the men), including speeding up the loss rate of the ovarian reserve.

Environment

Regular exposure to toxins, such as those found in pollution from factories or even from pesticides used on the food we eat. A build-up of these toxins in the body can affect a woman’s hormones enough to affect the menstrual cycle and result in irregular ovulation, making conception more difficult.

Fibroids

Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors of muscle tissue that can change the size or shape of one’s uterus. They are known to affect 20% of women of reproductive age, with 5% to 10% of infertile women known to suffer from fibroids. Their effect on fertility depends on where the fibroids are located.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism occurs when one’s thyroid gland does not produce enough of the thyroid hormone, creating an imbalance that makes the metabolism dysfunctional. In relation to fertility, hypothyroidism may cause irregular ovulation or cause the body not to release an egg at all.

These are just some of the factors that may ultimately affect your attempts at having child. It’s important to remember that each body is different and each person may have different factors causing infertility.

It is always best to talk to fertility specialists regarding your concerns with infertility. If you’re looking to consult, you can always visit the top IVF clinic in Davao and consult with specialists ready to help you on your journey.

4 Important IVF Questions Answered

You may have heard various success stories from celebrities and even acquaintances about how IVF has helped them overcome their struggles with infertility. These stories are good proof of IVF’s efficacy at making conception possible despite possible physical hindrances. Though at the same time, it may lead potential patients to paint an unrealistic image of the procedure in their head.

As the most trusted authority on in vitro fertilization in Davao, we want to ensure that those who are interested in IVF know straight facts regarding the procedure.

How effective is IVF?

Yes, in vitro fertilization is an effective procedure. According to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, from 1985 to 2006, there have been 500,000 babies born from assisted reproductive technologies including IVF in the United States alone. After the birth of the first IVF baby, a reported 4 million babies have been born via the procedure since then.

IVF success rates, however, vary from country to country,as well as from age bracket to age bracket. It is also important to take into account the other factors (possible health conditions, environment, etc.) that may influence the success of a procedure. This is why extensive physical evaluation and checking for any other underlying conditions before the procedure is important.

Should those with Endometriosis and PCOS forget about IVF?

A lot of women who have been diagnosed with endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may be worried that their condition will prevent them from being able to have the procedure. They will be glad to know that it is actually fine for them to undergo the procedure; it may even be the best course of action for them to achieve pregnancy.

Endometriosis and PCOS typically do not inhibit women from producing eggs, and since IVF involves extracting eggs directly from the ovaries, there should be no problem.

Is assisted hatching really necessary?

A lot of IVF centers provide assisted hatching as part of the implantation process. It is, however, not required for every procedure.

Assisted hatching is only really needed when the protective outer shell of the embryo is too thick for it to break out on its own, resulting in difficulty implanting. It is generally recommended for those who are older than 38 years old or those who have experience with unsuccessful implantation before.

How will IVF open my partner and I up to more options?

With IVF, your options will be widened to include egg freezing, sperm freezing, and even embryo freezing. With that, if you find yourself wanting another child in the future, you won’t have to worry about having grown older and the possibility of encountering difficulties in conceiving again.

This reassures couples who feel they will want more kids in the future, but worry about the toll that going through another round of IVF treatment may take on them physically, emotionally, and financially.

IVF is definitely an option that couples who have been struggling with fertility treatment should look into. The questions above may be just some of those that have run through your mind.

As always, consulting with trusted experts in the field should be done so that any queries and concerns can be answered, and other health factors can be taken into consideration.

If you’re in the Philippines and are looking for experienced specialists, you can always visit the top IVF clinic in Davao for consultation and counseling.