How Is Infertility Defined?

About 6.1 million women from ages 15-44 face difficulties getting pregnant or maintaining a viable pregnancy. While this situation can seem frustrating or distressing, it doesn’t mean a baby isn’t in your future.

At Raveco Medical, our skilled OB/GYNs offer a range of services to address infertility and its possible causes. We work closely with you (and your partner) to identify the factors that contribute to fertility issues, so you can achieve the family of your dreams.

The definition of infertility

Infertility is defined as an inability to get pregnant after having unprotected sex for at least one year. If you’re a woman 35 or over and have been trying to conceive for six months, it may be due to infertility.

You might also be considered infertile if you become pregnant but aren’t able to maintain a healthy pregnancy. This can occur if a fertilized egg doesn’t attach to the inside of your uterus or because of other complications.

When to seek help for infertility

You should schedule an infertility consultation with our team at Raveco Medical if you’re not able to get pregnant in a year, or six months if you’re over 35.

You should also meet with our team if you’re planning a pregnancy but have existing issues that can affect your chances of conceiving, such as:

• Intense period pain
• Irregular or missing periods
• History of miscarriages
• Medical conditions like endometriosis

Our office features advanced diagnostic testing services to determine what’s affecting your fertility. We also review your personal and family medical histories and complete a comprehensive physical exam of your reproductive organs.

Common causes of infertility

Becoming pregnant involves several processes. First, your ovaries must release an egg that travels to your uterus through your fallopian tubes. The second part of the process involves the successful meet-up of a man’s sperm with the egg for fertilization.

In the next part of the pregnancy process, the fertilized egg must successfully implant into the uterus where it develops further throughout pregnancy. If there’s dysfunction in any of these processes, it can cause infertility.

Infertility can result from:

• Cysts
• Uterine fibroids
• Hormone imbalances
• Fallopian tube blockages
• Poor quality sperm
• Low sperm count

Because there are a number of issues in both men and women that can cause infertility, we take a comprehensive approach to identifying what’s interfering with your ability to conceive. Our providers also specialize in customized treatment plans that bring you closer to your goal of a healthy pregnancy.

Treating infertility

Raveco Medical offers a wide range of treatments for the underlying conditions that affect a woman's fertility.

For instance, we provide minimally invasive surgery to remove large cysts or fibroids in your uterus to support implantation of a fertilized egg. Our surgeons can also clear blockages from your fallopian tubes to increase your chances of successful fertilization.

If you still need help achieving a pregnancy, we can refer you to a network of qualified specialists to discuss your options for artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Because infertility can take a toll on you and your partner’s mental and emotional health, we can also provide you with resources for the additional support you may need on your journey.

Call the Raveco Medical office near you to learn more about the available infertility services or book an appointment online today.