Infertility

What is infertility?

Infertility means you’re having difficulty conceiving a child. Most healthy women conceive within six months, so if after a year of trying to get pregnant you’re still having no success, it’s a good idea to visit Dr. Patel to find out why you’re having problems.

In many cases, there are lifestyle or general health reasons for not conceiving. For example, being under pressure at work, having chronic stress, strained relationships, or significant events going on in your life can all affect the chances of conception.

Eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of exercise, and managing stress can all boost your chances of conceiving. On the other hand, worrying about an inability to conceive can in itself reduce your chances of getting pregnant.

It’s also important to make sure you have sex at the point of your monthly cycle when you’re ovulating. Your partner’s sperm has a far greater chance of reaching the egg if it’s in the fallopian tube, as it is during ovulation. A simple smartphone app can track your ovulation for you, so you know when you’re at your most fertile.

If you’ve tried everything and still haven’t gotten pregnant, visit Dr. Patel at Inland Women Care for advice.

Why are we having problems conceiving?

There are numerous reasons why you could be struggling to conceive, and it’s essential that your partner undergoes testing as well to check the health of his sperm. Some men have low motility, which means their sperm don’t swim properly and therefore struggle to reach the egg. Or they may have a low sperm count, and fewer sperm means less chance of conception.

To check your fertility, Dr. Patel carries out a general health checkup first to see if there are any underlying infections or medical problems that could be affecting your ability to conceive. Conditions such as endometriosis, where uterine tissue grows outside the womb, can affect fertility, so you might need treatment for such conditions to improve your chances of conceiving.

After your physical exam and running routine tests such as blood and urine analysis, Dr. Patel might also order further diagnostic investigations, including:

• Hormonal assessments
  
• Laparoscopy
  
• Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)
  
• Saline sonogram (SIS)
  

Dr. Patel has state-of-the-art ultrasound facilities on site, so it’s quick and convenient for you to undergo testing.

What are the steps in treating infertility?

The first steps in treating infertility are to look at any lifestyle issues that need addressing, for example, healthier eating habits or weight loss. Treating underlying health problems and any hormone imbalances can often resolve the problem, too.

It’s essential to address these issues because they not only reduce your chances of conceiving, but mean you’re not as healthy as you could be when you do conceive, making pregnancy more challenging and potentially riskier.

If all these factors are taken care of and you’re still not conceiving, Dr. Patel can prescribe medication to help with ovulation. Even if the reason for your infertility still isn’t apparent, these medications can increase your chances of successful conception.

Most couples find they do conceive following these treatments, but there are some people who have problems that can’t be helped using medication, or who for unknown reasons still fail to conceive. For these patients, procedures such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) are available.

If you have any fertility concerns, call Inland Women Care today, or book an appointment online.