Answer is both yes and no. Infertility is the condition in which a couple is unable to conceive even after having unprotected vaginal sex for a year. In such a case infertility treatments have to be relied on. So yes, there are chances for an infertile woman to get pregnant through such treatments but that primarily depends on the severity of the problem.
Causes for female infertility
- Irregular ovulation
- Damage in fallopian tubes
- Uterine fibroids
- Gonorrhoea and other sexually transmitted diseases
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Acquired factors such as age, smoking and being underweight or overweight could also increase the chances of infertility. Chemicals such as nicotine in tobacco products will harmfully affect the production of estrogen which is essential for ovulation and the development of follicles. Smokers have a 60-70% higher chance than non-smokers to be infertile and it can also decrease your chances of success through treatment. When we say body weight problem, it mostly refers to obesity but under-weight people also suffers a lot of health problem. It is the fat cells that produce estrogen and too much fat will result in too much estrogen and the too less fat cell will abnormally decrease the production of estrogen.
If you are suspecting infertility, consult a gynaecologist and get a detailed diagnosis of you and your partner. Stigma related to infertility is severe towards women but studies suggest that about 40 per cent of the time the damage is with males and sometimes it could be the problem of both the partners.
Treatment for male and female infertility
Treatment is available for both women and men. In case of women hormone regulating medications are prescribed to either increase or decrease the level of hormones which assist in ovulation. Surgery is also used to remove blocks in fallopian tubes or growth in the uterus. For male infertility, medication to treat problems with ejaculation and hormonal level are available. Surgery is performed to widen the veins in the scrotum and also to remove the blocks in sperm-carrying tubes.
However, if these methods are not effective, there are a lot of assisted reproductive treatments.
In vitro fertilization: the ovum is retrieved from the ovary and fertilized in a laboratory condition. After fertilization, the embryo is implanted back in the uterus.
Intrauterine insemination: The semen or insemination is placed directly in the woman’s uterus and thus the chance for natural fertilization is increased.
