What is infertility?
Clinically speaking, a patient can be diagnosed with infertility if she failed to achieve pregnancy after 12 months in which she had regular sexual intercourse without using any contraceptive means. The one-year window allows the doctor to exclude other factors that may cause the pregnancy to be delayed. After this exclusion, the gynaecologist can focus of the reproductive system and find what caused the infertility.
What are the main causes of infertility in women?
Typically, women who struggle with infertility suffer from one or more of these conditions:
- Ovulation disorders: PCOS (polycystic ovaries syndrome) that causes ovaries to produce too much testosterone (the male hormone) and hyperprolactinemia (having too much prolactin) are usually the main reasons why ovaries don’t release eggs the way they should.
- Abnormalities of the uterus or cervix: abnormal shapes or openings of the uterus, various problems with cervical mucus or uterine fibroids (benign uterine tumors) can cause infertility often through the blockage of the fallopian tubes.
- Damage or blockage of the fallopian tubes
- Early menopause (primary ovarian insufficiency) – the ovaries stop producing eggs before the age of 40.
- Endometriosis
- Pelvic adhesions
- Thyroid problems
- Temporary infertility caused by certain drugs – as soon as medication is stopped, fertility should no longer be an issue
Infertility diagnosis and treatment in Barrie, Ontario
If you suspect that you have fertility issues, our infertility centre in Barrie led by D. PhD. Evgenia Fefelova is always ready to help you with thorough investigations and treatment. Irrespective of the cause of your infertility, we will take all the necessary steps to diagnose it correctly and then come up with the right treatment plan. Even more, we will always take the time to offer counseling and all the support you and your family need.