Common Female Infertility Symptoms & Causes

Female infertility affects around 10 percent of women in the U.S. between the ages of 15 and 44. About one-third of cases that fertility clinics see is from an issue with the woman. However, in another one-third of infertility cases, the problem is with both partners or is unknown. At your Melbourne fertility clinic, both partners undergo thorough testing when necessary. However, some signs indicate that the fertility issue stems from a problem with the woman.

Symptoms

The most obvious sign of infertility is you don’t get pregnant after trying to conceive for a year or longer. However, you may notice other symptoms as well.

Menstrual Cycle Irregularities

Sometimes, a menstrual irregularity is the only sign of infertility for a woman.

On average, you should have a period every 28 days. However, this time varies from woman to woman. You may have a longer or shorter cycle that’s close to the average and still have a normal menstrual cycle. For instance, sometimes, a woman’s cycle will fluctuate by a few days, which is still normal.

However, if you notice that your period is longer than 35 days or shorter than 21, you may not ovulate each month. You should also take notice if your period fluctuates significantly in terms of the number of days of a cycle. You should be able to estimate when your next period will be.

Another sign of infertility may be that you stop your monthly cycle completely or skip months frequently. While an occasional missed period can happen due to stress or overexercise, frequently missed periods could be a sign of infertility.

Additionally, heavier than normal periods can also occur in some women who have infertility.

Painful Periods

Cramps are a normal part of a monthly cycle for many women. However, if you have incredibly painful periods or the pain has worsened over time, it could be part of the reason why you’re battling with infertility. Generally, cramps should be manageable and not interfere with your daily life.

Facial Hair Growth

Some facial hair growth is normal. Some ethnicities are known for having more hair than others in both men and women. However, if you have excessive unwanted facial hair, this could coincide with why you can’t get pregnant. Your specialist will keep this in mind during the evaluation process.

Causes

Your clinic consultant will ask you questions about your menstrual cycles and any previous pregnancies you’ve had. Before receiving IVF or any other treatment, your practitioner will perform blood testing, imaging, and various other testing to get to the root of the problem. Some possible causes of female infertility include the following:

Hormonal Imbalance

Your body releases different hormones throughout your cycle that initiate ovulation and prepare your body for pregnancy. An imbalance could cause you not to ovulate at all or to skip ovulation at times. Too short, long, or irregular periods could mean issues with ovulation.

Thyroid Dysfunction

Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can interfere with ovulation and cause infertility. These thyroid diseases are when the thyroid is either underactive or overactive in hormone production.

Low Body Weight

If you have a lower than average body weight, meaning your body mass index is less than 18.5, you may not ovulate normally.

High Body Weight

If you have a higher than average body weight, you have more adipose tissue than average. The cells in this issue produce estrogen, and this increase in estrogen could disrupt your cycle, particularly ovulation.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic ovary syndrome occurs when your body makes a higher than normal amount of male hormones. This can lead to missing ovulation, lengthy periods, and ovarian dysfunction.

These are some of the symptoms and causes of female infertility. For some women, fertility treatment will include hormone injections. On the other hand, drugs like Clomiphene citrate can trigger ovulation. In some cases, Viera Fertility Center will provide IVF if you have an ovulation disorder not treated by medication, for example.

Contact Viera Fertility Center

If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a year or longer, let Viera Fertility Center find the source of the problem and the appropriate treatment. This is especially the case if you have any of the aforementioned symptoms. Reach out to us today.