Understanding Hormone Infertility
Understanding Hormone Infertility
When one visits an infertility clinic, they will quickly find that there are two main types of specialists in this field: surgical specialists and hormone specialists. Hormone infertility represents one of the most common reasons that couples fail to conceive. There are various factors which contribute to this, age being principal among them as it is with all other types of infertility.
Hormonal imbalances can cause myriad problems, from a uterine lining insufficient to support the attaching of eggs to poor egg production. Some of the treatments for this condition involve the use of very cutting-edge medications.
Hormone infertility treatments generally center around changing what usually proves to be a menstrual cycle which is not normal in some regard. In fact, one of the most prominent signs that fertility may be an issue is irregular periods. There are three principal phases of ovulation and hormonal medications may work to improve the results or to make regular any of these phases. They may make a woman’s cycle regular, as well, and can help those who are struggling with this frustrating cause of infertility to conceive successfully.
A woman’s menstrual cycle is said to begin on the first day of her period. From this day, the usual cycle involves the follicular, ovulatory and luteal phases. These phases are all imperative to creating a healthy egg and a uterus prepared to receive the egg. The menstrual cycle lasts 28 days in total with the ovulatory phase, being only one or two days long, encompassing the smallest time frame.
During the first phase, the follicles in the ovary are developing. Medications used during this phase simply increase the amount of follicles that grow which results in the production of more eggs. This is the phase when the lining in the uterus begins to thicken, as well.
With hormone infertility treatment, the ovulatory phase is more productive than it would normally be. In normal cases, 1 or 2 follicles would release eggs during this cycle. In a medicated phase, this number can be much higher which increases the chances of success.
The treatments given may also function to help thicken the uterine lining at this time, as well, which can also help to increase fertility rates. The last phase of the cycle is the luteal phase when the embryos begin to implant in the uterine wall. This phase will be more successful due to the thickened wall provided by the hormones.
Hormone infertility can be very frustrating for patients. Unlike a case where there is a physical cause, this type of infertility offers no surgical cure that may end up solving the problem altogether. Remember that, if a couple is under 35 and they have been having regular intercourse for over 6 months with no conception, there may be a fertility problem. For couples over 35, this time frame is extended to a year due to the declining quality of eggs in this phase of a woman’s life. Either way, hormonal treatment may provide help.
