The most common factor linked to a woman’s fertility is age. From around the age of 25, a woman’s fertility slowly begins to decrease. Once she reaches 35, her fertility will decrease more quickly until she reaches the age for the menopause. The following factors can also have an impact on fertility: - The stress of trying too hard to become pregnant
- Severe weight loss, illnesses and emotional problems can all affect the hormones that control ovulation, which in turn can affect fertility. If you suffer from very irregular periods, or hardly have any periods at all, then this could indicate a problem with ovulation
- It is possible for the woman to have certain antibodies in the cervical mucus that can kill the sperm before it is able to reach the womb and fertilise the egg
- If the fallopian tubes are damaged or blocked, the egg may be unable to travel through. This could have been caused by a sexually transmitted disease that you are currently suffering from or have suffered in the past
- Fragments of the lining of the womb can break away and become lodged in other parts of the body. This condition is known as Endometriosis
- There are certain medicines that can affect fertility or even harm the unborn baby. Thus, it is very important to check with your doctor before taking any medication.
Fertility can be affected by many other factors but, always remember, most of these can be overcome by the correct medical treatment. |
