Infertility Diagnosis

You've been trying to conceive for almost a year now with no luck. To find out why, you've had fertility tests done and are just waiting to get the results back. But what will you find out? There are many possible diagnoses you could receive after going for fertility tests. Here is an overview of some of the possible explanations and just what they mean.

Endometriosis

This is when lining from your uterus is found outside of your uterus. Endometriosis mainly affects women in their 30s to 40s and about 40% of women with endometriosis will have some problems conceiving. The main cause of infertility from endometriosis seems to be scarring and adhesions that result in a blockage. This prevents the egg from being fertilized or the fertilized egg from traveling properly along the fallopian tubes. This can result in an ectopic pregnancy (this is when the fertilized egg implants itself somewhere other than in the uterine lining). However, there are some other theories as to how infertility is caused by endometriosis.

Endometriosis can be treated with surgery. If you experience pain while having sex, have very painful menstrual cramps, and/or experience heavy bleeding during your period or unusual spotting, you may have endometriosis. However, about 30% of women with endometriosis will never show any symptoms except for fertility problems.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

The bad news about PCOS is that it is one of the main causes of infertility among women yet is severely under diagnosed (less than 25% of women who suffer from the syndrome have actually been diagnosed). One of the main reasons that it is not diagnosed is because symptoms of the syndrome generally do not appear to have any connection with each other. Usually it's not until a woman has troubles getting pregnant and she gets professional help that she learns she has PCOS. Some symptoms of PCOS include weight gain, acne, irregular or absent periods, infertility, and failure to ovulate. PCOS can be diagnosed through a series of blood tests. It can easily be managed through the use of hormones that will trigger ovulation and will also help you get pregnant.

Ovulatory Disorders

About 40% of female fertility problems are caused by ovulation problems such as irregular periods or failing to ovulate at all. These disorders can be caused by a variety of things such as excessive weight loss, stress, thyroid problems or hormone imbalances. The way the disorder is treated depends on the cause.

Premature Ovarian Failure (POF)

This can be a very upsetting diagnosis as it means that you are no longer menstruating even though you are under the age of 40. Causes of POF can range from defects from before birth (like a chromosomal abnormality that results in defective ovaries) to your ovaries becoming resistant to your body's natural hormones when you are in your 20s and 30s. Pelvic surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation have also been known to result in POF. In very few cases, POF is present in a woman's family history. You can also experience intermittent ovarian failure. Women who are affected by this will go for months with no period and then suddenly begin to menstruate again for a short time. As well, her hormone levels may appear normal while she is menstruating. If she were to seek treatment during this time, it would appear as though everything were fine with her ovaries, thereby making it difficult to diagnose her with intermittent ovarian failure. Treatment of POF can be difficult. You may try hormone pills in order to promote ovulation but this is often not successful. Another option is IVF with a donor egg that is fertilized by your partner's sperm.