Little Known Causes of Infertility and How We Can Help 

Getting pregnant might be harder than you realize. In fact, a couple’s chance of getting pregnant is only about 15-20% in any given month. If you and your partner still haven’t conceived after 12 months of trying, doctors recommend seeking treatment for infertility. 

Up to 6.7 million women between the ages of 15-44 living in the United States struggle with infertility. There are many, many different things that can cause infertility in women. Seeing a medical professional can help with both finding the root cause and addressing it with an appropriate treatment plan.

You might already be aware of some of the more common causes of infertility, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), but because there are so many things that can cause infertility, there might be some you’re less familiar with. 

Because of that, our team led by Karen Mass, MD, FACOG, at Women’s Specialty Care in Lake Forest and Grayslake, Illinois, wants to fill you in on some lesser known causes of infertility and how we can help treat them. 

What could be causing your infertility?

Irregular ovulation is the most common cause of infertility, usually arising due to underlying health conditions such as PCOS or hormone imbalances. However, if your infertility isn’t caused by irregular ovulation, one of these following issues could be culprit:

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that lines your uterus starts to grow outside the uterus, such as in your ovaries or your fallopian tubes. This can cause irritation and the development of scar tissue that can keep your reproductive organs from operating as they should. 

Endometriosis can cause your fallopian tubes to become blocked, the implantation process to be interrupted, and the quality of your eggs can be affected, all of which impact your ability to get pregnant.

Uterine issues

There are a few different problems you can have with your uterus that can keep you from getting pregnant, including polyps and uterine fibroids. Polyps can occur when there are too many cells growing in the lining of your uterus — referred to as the endometrium —  and fibroids grow inside your uterus.

Damaged fallopian tubes

Your fallopian tubes carry fertilized eggs from your ovaries to your uterus. If they become damaged in any way, it can severely impact your ability to get pregnant. Common things that affect your fallopian tubes include untreated infections, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, and scar tissue build-up after pelvic surgery.

Egg count and quality

When you’re born, you have all the eggs you’ll have for your entire lifetime. Sometimes, this egg supply can run out before menopause. You may also have eggs with chromosomal abnormalities that aren’t able to be fertilized, and the chances of having eggs with these abnormalities increases as you age.

How we address infertility

At Women’s Specialty Care, we have a few different options that we can offer, depending on what’s causing your infertility. Some of those options include:

• Intrauterine insemination (IUI): When you’re ovulating, we place a catheter in your uterus through your cervix and deposit a sperm sample directly into your uterus
• In vitro fertilization (IVF): Sperm and unfertilized eggs are placed in a petri dish where fertilization can take place. The fertilized embryo is then transferred to the uterus

We can also offer other services such as pregnancy planning and preconception care. To learn more about what might be causing your infertility, or to get more information about our infertility services, contact our team by giving us a call or by booking online with us today.