Female Infertility
About This Condition
Infertility is defined by doctors as the failure to become pregnant after a year of unprotected intercourse.
It can be caused by sex-hormone abnormalities, low thyroid function, endometriosis, scarring of the tubes connecting the ovaries with the uterus, or a host of other factors. Some of the causes of infertility readily respond to natural medicine, while others do not. The specific cause of infertility should always be diagnosed by a physician before considering possible solutions.
Symptoms
For most infertile women, no symptoms accompany the infertility. Some women with symptoms of obesity, acne, and excessive facial hair; heavy, irregular, or absent menstrual periods; or fluid leaking from the breasts could have hormone imbalances that might interfere with fertility.
Other Therapies
Artificial insemination can be used to place sperm directly in the cervix or uterus. Another more advanced procedure is called “in vitro fertilization,” wherein the egg (collected from the ovary in a surgical procedure) and the sperm are combined under controlled conditions in a laboratory. The fertilized embryo is then implanted into the woman’s uterus.