Know The Signs Of Infertility

Today’s lifestyle and environmental factors have affected infertility in more than 15 per cent of the population. It is a common issue worldwide but at the same time a piece of heartbreaking news to a couple. It’s poignant when a couple visits a doctor and says “Doctor do anything but we want a child”. 

Infertility is usually detected when a couple is trying to conceive for a year without using any contraceptives and still no good news. These couples often avoid or are unaware of their infertility symptoms and at times they are undetectable until they try to conceive. There are multiple signs of infertility in men and women if diagnosed earlier it can help in getting a proper treatment.

Signs of infertility in women:

Heavy periods to no periods 

During a woman’s fertile years her period changes as she grows, however, a woman’s period can also determine her fertility. Heavy periods or no periods may seem normal to a woman and are often ignored but can be a sign of infertility.

Painful periods/cramps

Cramps are normal during the first day of your period but some women experience severe pain during those days which may affect their daily life. This can be an indicator that something is wrong with the body and can be a sign of endometriosis which causes painful periods and is a possible reason for Infertility.

Hormonal issues

Hormonal fluctuations can be another sign of Infertility and its symptoms are quite noticeable in women which also helps in early diagnosis. Some of the Hormonal imbalance symptoms can be:

●Excessive hair on body or unusual places- Chin area, face, chest and inner-thighs which is not seen usually in women.

●Abnormal weight gain

●Low sex drive

●Thinning of hair

●Severe acne

●Mood Swings

Pain during sexual intercourse

Sexual intercourse brings pleasure and should not be painful. It is quite normal if a woman has pain during sexual intercourse sometimes but if it becomes regular it can be a reason to worry about. Continuous pain during sex can be a sign of Infertility and a couple should consult a doctor for the same.

Signs of infertility in men:

Low sex drive

If a man sees a sudden change in his sex drive which was healthy in the past few years it can be due to hormonal imbalance in the body. Hormonal imbalance can cause low testosterone levels in men where their sex desire tends to get low which affects their fertility. Excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, anxiety and infections can also reduce sexual desire in a man.

Difficulty in maintaining erection

Men having trouble in maintaining an erection during sexual intercourse can have an underlying condition or a health problem that needs to be diagnosed. Such erection problems in men can often lead to infertility if not treated timely.

Ejaculation problems

Ejaculation is necessary to help sperm reach the eggs. If a man has a problem in ejaculating semen, either ejaculating late or too soon or at times no ejaculation it can cause trouble in conceiving and poor sexual pleasure.

Pain, swelling or lump in testicles

Irritation, swelling, pain or any sort of discomfort in the private parts of a man can be a cause of an underlying condition in men. Testicles play a vital role in male fertility and any discomfort can lead them to infertility if not diagnosed and treated.

Other than these factors, fertility can be immensely affected if a man or woman has any major history of medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, any sexually transmitted diseases or previous miscarriages.

Infertility is normal, it can't be cured but it can be treated with the right treatments like In-Vitro Fertilization, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), Assisted Embryo Hatching and a good consultation by a specialist who listens to your problems.

Dr Ila Gupta

Guest Author The author is Senior IVF Consultant and Clinical Director at Ferticity Fertility Clinics, Delhi