Having trouble making babies?

Last evening, I was at a family friend's baby shower when we started chit-chatting about having babies. The conversation naturally took its course into the joys of having your own baby! We began talking about responsibilities, baby tantrums, baby clothes, tall babies, short babies, fat babies, thin babies etc......just about everything! Every couple wants to have a baby at some point. It is an overwhelming feeling and a beautiful gift a couple can ever have. But we often hear of couples experiencing difficulties in having a baby. What is it that makes it difficult?

Infertility is a term used to describe a condition of not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying (or six months if a woman is 35 or older) or a woman who can get pregnant but is unable to stay pregnant may also be infertile. Infertility in women in most cases is due to other medical conditions. These disorders can damage the fallopian tubes, interfere with ovulation, or cause hormonal complications.

• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a major cause of female infertility worldwide. PID comprises a variety of infections caused by different bacteria that affect the reproductive organs (fallopian tubes specifically), appendix, and parts of the intestine that lie in the pelvic area. Sexually transmitted diseases, pelvic tuberculosis, non sterile abortions and ruptured appendix are a few causes for PID.

• Endometriosis is a non-cancerous condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus (endometrial tissue) grows in other areas of the body like the fallopian tubes, ovaries, bowel, rectum, bladder, and on the lining of the pelvic area. These could eventually hinder fertilization and implantation of the fertilization of the egg.

• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a condition in which the ovaries produce high amounts of male hormones, particularly testosterone. This condition reduces the production of the follicle-stimulating hormone which is required for the maturation of the egg. In the absence of a matured egg, infertility problems set in.

• Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous clumps of tissue and muscle on the walls of the uterus that influence the activity of the estrogen hormone.

• Other factors that could cause infertility in women include alcohol consumption, smoking, being overweight or underweight, unhealthy eating habits, stress and age.
Infertility in men is most often caused by a decreased sperm count, varicocele, cystic fibrosis, heavy alcohol use, drugs, smoking cigarettes, age, environmental toxins, hormonal imbalances, certain medications and chemotherapy or radiation exposure.

Now that you have a basic understanding of why your monthly efforts go in vain, you can meet a doctor who will diagnose the problem and put you on the appropriate treatment plan. Good luck!