Infertility in Women: Common Causes and When to Seek Help

Family building has been a goal for some time now, and instead of being greeted by a positive pregnancy test, you face a long parade of negative ones.

First, we want you to know that you’re far from alone — 1 in 6 adults around the globe has some experience with infertility, both male and female.

As reproductive specialists, Dr. Chetanna Okasi and the team at Women’s Wellness MD are familiar with the leading causes of infertility in women. We also dive into some strategies moving forward.

Understanding the overall infertility challenge

Let’s first make sure we’re on the same page when it comes to infertility, which is defined as trying to become pregnant for one year, unsuccessfully. Included in this definition are women who have two or more failed pregnancies.

Another essential point is that we can divide infertility rates in three ways:

• One-third is tied back to male infertility
• Female infertility drives one-third 
• The final third is for reasons unknown

One of your first steps in an infertility investigation is to determine which piece of the reproductive puzzle is malfunctioning and go from there. For purposes of this discussion, we’re addressing female infertility.

Drivers of female infertility

Now let's look at some of the leading causes of infertility in women, which include:

Ovarian disorders

The leading cause of female infertility is problems with the ovaries — problems that prevent viable eggs from being released for fertilization. These disorders include:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Primary ovarian deficiency
• Hypothyroidism, which can affect ovulation

The top item on this list is the most common. PCOS is a growing healthcare issue in women and causes a hormonal imbalance that suppresses ovulation. Cases of PCOS have increased by 56% between 1990 and 2021.

Structural issues

Some women run into fertility issues due to structural hurdles that prevent sperm from reaching and fertilizing their eggs. An example of this is an endometrial lesion around your fallopian tubes.

Weight issues

Women on both ends of the weight scale can encounter fertility issues, including obesity or being underweight.

Pelvic inflammatory disease

Untreated sexually transmitted infections can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and problems with fertility.

Stress

Ongoing stress can lead to hormone imbalances as stress hormones suppress other key hormones, like reproductive ones.

Getting back to building your family

Dealing with infertility can be frustrating, and we’re here to relieve some of this frustration. There’s no one treatment for female infertility since there are many possible underlying causes.

First, we identify what’s creating a roadblock in your family-building journey. For example, if an endometrial adhesion prevents pregnancy, we can remove it and reset the button. Or, we may find that ovulation-inducing medications do the trick if you have PCOS.

We treat infertility on a case-by-case basis. And, rest assured, we work with you until we find a solution.

For expert fertility care, look no further than the team at Women’s Wellness MD. To visit Dr. Okasi, contact us today by calling our Columbia or Greenbelt, Maryland, office or using our online booking feature to schedule a consultation.