What is Infertility and What Can Be Done about It?

With literally millions of couples being diagnosed by qualified specialists per year, the question arises - what is infertility and how can it be treated? It's an emotional blow for many people when they are told that their troubles starting a family will take more than time to be solved. Both partners may blame themselves and the relationship as well as individual self esteem may suffer. Depression, conflict and a painful restructuring of self image are often the results of hearing this news. But, like most challenges in life, knowledge is the key to a better understanding and taking the time to research the causes of infertility can drastically reduce stress.

Infertility - anyone's 'fault'

It's important to realize that infertility is not specifically anyone's 'fault'. The word itself implies that one partner has made a mistake and this kind of blame does not apply when it comes to infertility. People have no control over the workings of nature. Unfortunately it's common for women to take the majority of the responsibility as the female reproductive system is simply more complicated than that of a male. However, statistics show that the man can be suffering from infertility as much as the woman. In such a trying time, it's best to avoid laying blame and spend the time asking, "what is infertility?" together.

The vary causes of infertility

Just as the reproductive systems of both sexes are different, so are the physiological causes of infertility. In a man it may be due to blocked tubes, low sperm count or low sperm mobility. In a woman the causes range from hormonal imbalances to polyps to fallopian tube blockages. All of these are treatable through various different fertility treatments. After asking 'what is infertility' the next step is to work in collaboration with your doctor to get the right answers and then to develop a plan to overcome them.

Are there any 'quick fixes' to infertility?

Perhaps the easiest things to fix are lifestyle related. Diet, smoking, alcohol and environmental toxins can all have an effect on how quickly you conceive. Taking steps to improve your lifestyle, however small, brings you closer to your ultimate goal and will improve your overall health. Remember that just because these alterations are not 'medical' per se, they will have just as big of an effect. Sometimes losing a few pounds or gaining if you are underweight can help you to conceive without the side effects of medication or surgery.

Being told that you may have fertility issues is not the same as being told you can never be parents - it only means you may have to work a little harder for a little longer. The same time that you ask yourself, "what is infertility" you should also be asking "what are we going to do to fix it".