What are some possible causes of female infertility?
Getting pregnant and carrying a pregnancy to term are actually very complicated processes. Many things can go wrong during these processes to lead to infertility. For this reason, the following list includes only some of the common causes of infertility in females; it is not meant to be all-inclusive. A woman who is having difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term should talk with her health care provider about possible treatments.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis occurs when the cells that normally line the uterine cavity, called the endometrium, are found outside the uterus instead. A more detailed description of endometriosis can be found at the NICHD endometriosis topic page.
Research has found a link between infertility and endometriosis. Studies show that between 25% and 50% of infertile woman have endometriosis and between 30% and 40% of women with endometriosis are infertile.6,7,8 Scientists do not know the exact cause of infertility in women with endometriosis.
Current theories on how endometriosis causes infertility include the follow:
- Changes in the structure of the female reproductive organs may occur. Endometriosis can cause pelvic adhesions made of scar tissue to form between nearby structures, such as between the ovary and pelvic wall. This can obstruct and affect the release of the egg after ovulation. Scarring in the fallopian tube can interrupt block the egg’s movement through the fallopian tube.
- The lining of the abdomen, which is called the peritoneum (pronounced pair-ih-tuh-NEE-uhm), may go through changes that affect its function:
- In women with endometriosis, the amount of fluid inside the peritoneum often increases.
- The fluid in the peritoneum contains substances that can negatively affect the functions of the egg, sperm, and fallopian tubes.
- Chemical changes in the lining of the uterus that occur as a result of endometriosis may affect an embryo’s ability to implant properly and make it difficult for a woman to stay pregnant after conception.
6. Giudice, L. C. (2010). Clinical Practice: Endometriosis. New England Journal of Medicine, 362(25), 2389–2398.
7. Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2012). Endometriosis and infertility: A committee opinion. Fertility and Sterility, 98(3), 591–598.
8. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2012). Frequently asked questions: Endometriosis. Retrieved May 31, 2016, from http://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Endometriosis
Source:
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility/conditioninfo/causes…
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