Causes of infertility in women

Female infertility has many possible causes. More than one problem contributes to infertility in 25% of couples.

Women need functioning ovaries, fallopian tubes, and a uterus to get pregnant. Conditions affecting any one of these organs can contribute to female infertility. Some of these conditions are listed below and can be evaluated using a number of different tests.

Ovarian Function (presence or absence of ovulation and effects of ovarian “age”:

• Ovulation. Regular predictable periods that occur every 24–32 days likely reflect ovulation. Ovulation can be predicted by using an ovulation predictor kit and can be confirmed by a blood test to see the woman’sprogesterone level.A woman’s menstrual cycle is, on average, 28 days long. Day 1 is defined as the first day of “full flow.”
• A woman with irregular periods is likely not ovulating. This may be because of several conditions and warrants an evaluation by a doctor.
  
  Potential causes of anovulation include the following:
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).  Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormone imbalance problem that can interfere with normal ovulation. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility.
  • Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA). Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea relates to excessive physical or emotional stress that results in amenorrhea (absent periods).
  • Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). This occurs when the ability of the ovary to produce eggs is reduced because of congenital, medical, surgical, or unexplained causes. Ovarian reserves naturally decline with age.
  • Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).Premature ovarian insufficiency occurs when a woman’s ovaries fail before she is 40 years of age. It is similar to premature (early) menopause.
  • Menopause . Menopause is an age-appropriate decline in ovarian function that usually occurs around age 50. It is often associated with hot-flashes and irregular periods.

• Ovarian function. Several tests exist to evaluate a woman’s ovarian function.
• No single test is a perfect predictor of fertility.
• The most commonly used markers of ovarian function include follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) value on day 3–5 of the menstrual cycle, anti-mullerian hormone value (AMH), and antral follicle count (AFC) using a transvaginal ultrasound.

Tubal Patency (whether fallopian tubes are open, blocked, or swollen):

• Risk factors for blocked fallopian tubes (tubal occlusion) can include a history of pelvic infection, history of ruptured appendicitis, history of gonorrhea or chlamydia, known endometriosis , or a history of abdominal surgery.
• Tubal evaluation may be performed using an X-ray which is called a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), or by chromopertubation (CP) in the operating room at time of laparoscopy, a surgical procedure in which a small incision is made and a viewing tube called a laparoscope is inserted.
  • Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is an X-ray of the uterus and fallopian tubes. A radiologist injects dye into the uterus through the cervix and simultaneously takes X-ray pictures to see if the dye moves freely through fallopian tubes. This helps evaluate tubal caliber (diameter) and patency.
  • Chromopertubation is similar to an HSG but is done in the operating room at the time of a laparoscopy. Blue-colored dye is passed through the cervix into the uterus and spillage and tubal caliber (shape) is evaluated.

Uterine Contour (physical characteristics of the uterus):

• Depending on a woman’s symptoms,the uterus may be evaluated by transvaginal ultrasound to look for fibroids or other anatomic abnormalities. If suspicion exists that the fibroids may be entering the endometrial cavity, a sonohystogram (SHG) or hysteroscopy (HSC) may be performed to further evaluate the uterine environment.

Source
Infertility FAQs
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  

GeoSalud, August 11, 2013