In some
cases, with older women, they maybe experiencing infertility
as a result of a difficult first pregnancy which means
they may already have other children. A single young woman,
who has been told she may never or may have trouble having
a child, will not have that first child as a comfort.
So with the dropping estrogen levels and dropping egg
production rates that come with age for women over thirty
five, what could be some of the reasons that a young
woman, under the age of thirty would be unable to conceive
a child and is there anything that can be done to help
them get back those gifts of ‘hope’ and
‘time’?
For the purpose of this article we’ll be looking
solely at the reasons why a female might be unable to
conceive without considering the factors her male partner
may be bringing to the table.
Normally, a woman is at her most fertile in her early
twenties. But it’s important to note than even
at the peak of her child bearing years, a woman only
has a 25-30% chance each month of actually getting pregnant.
Once a woman hits 35 and onward, that percentage drops
to ten percent.
So let’s look at some of the
most common factors of infertility in young women.
1. Multiple Sexual Partners
This brings with it the danger of an increased risk
of sexually
transmitted diseases. There has been an
alarming increase in cases of gonorrhea which if left
untreated, can cause sterility. It is extremely important
that women use the best STD protection methods available
to them not only to protect their health, but to protect
their chances of conceiving once they decide to.
2. History Of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
PID causes inflammation and scaring of the fallopian
tubes, ovaries and uterus,severely compromising the
woman’s ability to conceive. In many cases, women
are not aware they have PID until they try to conceive.
Women who have used intrauterine devices (IUD’s)
in the past may find that this method of contraception
may cause the onset of pelvic inflammatory disease and
thus leave them unable to conceive when they decide
they are ready to become mothers. The key to treating
PID is early detection, before the inflammation has
a chance to severely scar the reproductive organs. Regular
gynaecological exams are imperative so that
if caught early enough, the doctor can prescribe antibiotics
and the infection will clear up. However, if the PID
is caused by a sexually transmitted disease then the
woman’s partner will have to be treated as well
and sexual intercourse avoided until the entire prescribed
medical treatment has been completed.
3. DES Exposure
DES stands for Diethylstilbestrol and was commonly
prescribed to pregnant women who had experienced earlier
miscarriages or difficult pregnancies as recent as the
1970’s to help estrogen production. It was eventually
taken off the market after it was learned that the supplement
could lead to reproductive complications to a female
fetus, leading to future pregnancy complications and
infertility for her. While there are no treatments for
abnormalities caused in-utero to female babies who have
been exposed to DES, there are treatments that may help
women increase their chances of conceiving.
4. Anorexia And/Or Bulimia
It’s only been recently that a past that involved
an eating disorder has been added to the possible causes
for infertility in young women. Because eating disorders
usually manifest themselves in the mid teens and up
into the woman’s usually most fertile years, they
can severely affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant.
Anorexia causes a woman to stop having her periods,
compromising ovulation and damaging egg production because
a healthy body weight is essential for menstruation
to occur. Once an eating disorder has been confirmed
it is vital that the young woman get treatment that
includes psychotherapy and nutritional counseling. Admission
to an in-patient facility may be necessary and once
the woman gains weight and her cycle regulates itself
the chances of conceiving should improve. But regular
check ups are still important to monitor any long term
damage.
Young women who have the desire to have children need
to take charge of their health now. In this day and
age when any number of factors from the things she may
have been exposed to before she was born, to the chemicals
in the foods she consumes, to past harmful behaviors
could contribute to her inability to conceive. Keeping
healthy and making sure to schedule regular visits with
her gynecologist can help her turn the dream she has
for future children into a reality. By taking control
of her physical and reproductive health, she gives herself
the gift of time.
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