Causes of Infertility in a Woman

Certain things may put women at a high risk of infertility. These are as follows:

• Increasing age: The quality and quantity of a woman's eggs begin to decline with increasing age, particularly in the mid-30s.
• Smoking habit: Smoking damages a woman’s cervix and fallopian tubes, increases her chances of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy and damages the eggs.
• Low or high weight: A higher or lower body mass index (BMI) affects the ovulation process.
• Poor nutrition: A diet high in saturated fats and sugars increases a woman’s odds of infertility, whereas a diet rich in whole cereals, fruits, and vegetables improves fertility.
• Unhealthy sexual history: Having unprotected sex with multiple partners increases a woman’s risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which can result in infertility.
• Excess alcohol: Having more than one alcoholic drink in a day puts women at risk of becoming infertile.
• Increased levels of stress: Several recent studies have found links between women's levels of day-to-day stress and lowered chances of pregnancy.

Infertility is defined as the failure to get pregnant after one year of unprotected sex. Hence, most experts suggest that women should wait at least one year before consulting their doctors for infertility issues.

Women who are aged 35 years or older should see their doctors after six months of trying. This is because of the decrease in a woman's chances of having a baby after the age of 30 years.

Women can also visit their doctors early if they suffer from

• Irregular periods.
• Scanty periods.
• Extremely painful periods.
• Endometriosis.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

It is wise for women to talk to their doctors before trying to get pregnant. The doctor can do a complete health evaluation and suggest ways to help women in achieving a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby.