What Causes Infertility in Women?

Infertility is a condition that affects approximately 1 out of every 6 couples. An infertility diagnosis is given to a couple that has been unsuccessful in efforts to conceive over the course of one full year. When the cause of infertility exists within the female partner, it is referred to as female infertility. Female infertility factors contribute to approximately 50% of all infertility cases and female infertility alone accounts for approximately one-third of all infertility cases.

What causes infertility in Women?

1. Damage to your Fallopian tubes: These structures carry eggs from your ovaries, which produce eggs, to the uterus, where the baby develops. They can get damaged when scars form after pelvic infections, endometriosis, and pelvic surgery. That can prevent sperm from reaching an egg.
2. Hormonal problems:  You may not be getting pregnant because your body isn't going through the usual hormone changes that lead to the release of an egg from the ovary and the thickening of the lining of the uterus.
3. Cervical issues: Some women have a condition that prevents sperm from passing through the cervical canal.
4. Uterine trouble: You may have polyps and fibroids that interfere with getting pregnant. Uterine polyps and fibroids happen when too many cells grow in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus.
5. Ovulation disorders: Ovulation disorders, meaning you ovulate infrequently or not at all, account for infertility in about 25 percent of infertile couples. These can be one of the following:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): In PCOS, complex changes occur in the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and ovaries, resulting in a hormone imbalance, which affects ovulation. PCOS is associated with insulin resistance and obesity, abnormal hair growth on the face or body and acne. It's the most common cause of female infertility.
• Hypothalamic dysfunction. The two hormones responsible for stimulating ovulation each month, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are produced by the pituitary gland in a specific pattern during the menstrual cycle.
• Premature ovarian insufficiency. This disorder is usually caused by an autoimmune response where your body mistakenly attacks ovarian tissues or by premature loss of eggs from your ovary due to genetic problems or environmental insults such as chemotherapy. It results in the loss of the ability to produce eggs by the ovary, as well as a decreased oestrogen production under the age of 40.