What Is Secondary Infertility?
(continued)
Other possibilities that may cause secondary infertility in women:
Your Age: Fertility decreases with age. If you had your first child at
20 and are now trying to get pregnant again at 35, your risk of infertility went
from 4.5% to 32%, an increase of 8-fold just from aging 15
years.
Your Weight: Excessively high or low, body fat can affect ovulation and fertility
Your Diet: Starvation diets, binging and purging, and even yo-yo dieting affect
ovulation. If you have difficulty eating regularly or normally, you should
consult a dietician, a nutritionist, or a psychologist to get your diet under
control.
General Health: Numerous chronic diseases,
such as diabetes, lupus, arthritis, hypertension, or asthma can affect
fertility, as can the medications used to treat them.
Your Cervix: Cervical treatments for
abnormal pap smears such as cryosurgery or cone biopsy
Your Hormones: Hormonal imbalances may
cause menstrual irregularties, especially if associated with periods exceeding
six days, cycles shorter than 24 days or more than 35 days apart; irregular,
unpredictable cycles; heavy periods; heavy cramping; excessive hair or acne on
face, chest, abdomen or back. One
extreme hormonal problem that may cause secondary infertility is Premature
Ovarian Failure (POF) or premature menopause, which is menopause for any reason
under age 40. For women in their
40's, menopause itself may become a factor; the average age of menopause is 51,
but it can start much earlier. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), hypothyroidism, or elevated prolactin levels (often from
benign pituitary tumors) are other relatively common hormonal causes of
secondary infertility.
Surgeries: Complications of a D & C (dilation
and curetage) after an abortion or a miscarriage can cause secondary
infertility. Complications of other
abdominal or pelvic surgeries (or the problems which necessitated those
surgeries) may cause scarring which can block your fallopian tubes and prevent
pregnancy.
Your Uterus: Uterine fibroid growth may obstruct a pregnancy
and cause a miscarriage.
IUD use can increase the risk of STD's in women; this could be a fertility
factor.
Douching or using certain genital lubricants may also impair
fertility.
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Unless you are using a technique to identify
your most fertile days, to optimize fertility, you should have intercourse every
other day starting a few days before ovulation.
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