Women's Health 6 common causes of infertility in women

6 common causes of infertility in women

Anne Wangechi

September 13, 2018 3:51 PM

For the sake of knowledge

Getting pregnant is not as easy as you may think. But this may not dawn to you until you hear women speaking of how desperate they are to conceive.

Infertility is real, stressful and sometimes embarrassing when you don’t have the right support system. And conceiving is another daunting task – at least for some people.

Although female infertility is more of a concern, men can also be infertile. But let’s check out some of the common causes of infertility in women. Shall we?

ALSO READ: 4 signs of infertility every woman should know

1. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

This is the most common cause of infertility in women. It’s caused by hormonal imbalance and leads to irregular ovulation and menstruation. The disorder makes the ovaries enlarge and develop cysts hence its name. Medications to help regulate menstruation can help treat this condition.

2. Endometriosis

This painful condition occurs when the endometrial tissues that lines the uterus grow on the outside. The growths bleed along with a woman’s menstruation leading to scarring. This can affects a woman’s ovaries or even lead to the blockage of the fallopian tubes.

3. Fibroids

Although these benign growths are harmless to a woman’s general health, they may lead to conception problems. The growths may block the fallopian tubes or make it difficult for the embryo to implant in the uterus.

4. Age

As a woman ages, the egg quality and quantity declines thus reducing the chances of conceiving. When a woman gets to 35 years, the egg’s quality declines rapidly. And although a woman may still be ovulating, conceiving becomes harder.

5. STIs

When left untreated, sexually transmitted diseases that spread from the cervix to the fallopian tubes could lead to infertility. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are some of the most notorious ones since they lead to the scarring and blockage of the fallopian tube.

ALSO READ: 9 warning signs you could have gonorrhea

6. Unhealthy weight

Having a very high or too low BMI could lead to infertility problems. Being overweight or underweight can affect the pituitary glands leading to ovulation malfunctions.