Female infertility symptoms

In some cases the infertility symptoms (physical symptoms) aren’t obvious. Sometimes infertile women don’t have physical symptoms and this isn’t a good thing because, even though they are uncomfortable, these symptoms help your doctor to determine the infertility cause and to establish a diagnosis faster. A woman should know her body very well and she should pay attention at it especially when she’s trying to have a baby because physical symptoms like pelvic pain, irregular periods, chronic acne, weight gain, the absence of menstruation are signs that should be told to her doctor. He could help her and her partner to accomplish their desire of having a baby.

Here are the main symptoms that can lead to female infertility divided in 5 categories: (LEARN MORE)

1) Hormonal symptoms- Due to the fact that the release of mature eggs (ovulation) depends on the hormones, a hormonal imbalance can be related to an infertility problem. Bellow you can find some symptoms that follow the changes produced in the hormonal level.

Basal Body Temperature (BBT) is the body’s temperature while it’s resting. During the cycle women suffer hormonal changes that result in changes of the body’s temperature. The BBT is taken in the morning before rising up and it offers information about hormonal changes that take place during the period of ovulation. A doctor can establish by BBT if the woman is ovulating or not. If the BBT isn’t normal the doctor should consider other diagnosis such as:

:: anovulation - the woman doesn’t ovulate;

:: immunological problems – it’s possible that the cervical mucous kills the sperm or the uterus can reject the embryo;

:: polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) – women with this condition have big ovaries which contain many small cysts. Their ovaries secrete unusual quantities of male hormones that can cause ovulation problems.

:: luteal phase defect (LPD) – is the period between ovulation and the next menstrual cycle. A woman with LPD can’t produce enough progesterone to build the linig of the uterus and the fertilized egg can’t be implanted.

:: premature ovarian failure (POF) – also known as early menopause. The ovaries stop ovulating earlier than they should. The menopause age is 45-55, so a woman under 40 that stops ovulating suffers from POF;

- Hyperprolactinemi - is a condition of elevated serum prolactin

Oily skin can indicate a hormonal imbalance. The skin’s oil level is controlled by androgens. If the androgen level is high the skin becomes oilier. When the androgen level is very high it might indicate a PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome).

Acne. Just like oily skin, chronic acne is produced by hormonal imbalances. Often, acne is caused by stress or other factors but it also could be a symptom of PCOS.

Excessive hair growth may indicate that a big quantity of androgens are produced by the woman’s body. Androgens are produced by the adrenal gland and ovary and they are hormones typically masculine like testosterone even though both men and women produce testosterones, estrogens the difference is made in the amount that these hormones are produced in. So the excessive hair growth can be considered an infertility symptom.

2) Infections- There are some infections that can be related to a woman’s infertility. Small infections are treated easily but infections caused by STDs have a serious impact.

Yeast infections may suggest immunological problems or a pelvic inflammatory disease. Returning yeast infections can be the sign of an underlying disease so women should address to their doctor with these problems.

STDs – Sexually Transmitted Diseases like gonorrhea, syphilis, AIDS and others can affect a woman’s fertility. Even Chlamydia which is a common disease that can be treated easily with antibiotics, can cause scaring if is not treated at time and eventually can lead to PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) – an important cause of infertility .

UTIs – Urinary Tract Infections are infections of the urinary tract (bladder, kidneys, urethra). Women should mention to their fertility specialist if they are this kind of problems because sometimes UTIs can indicate immunological problems or PID.

3) Menstrual symptoms – The interaction of the hormones produced by the ovaries, the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus gland determine the menstrual cycle. If this process goes on as it should uterus lining develops in order to receive the embryo and the follicle develop and ovulate. A disruption may lead to fertility problems.

Excessive bleeding. A period normally last four to six days with 30 milliliters volume of menstrual blood. A volume bigger than 80 milliliters is not normal. A woman can’t measure her blood level but she can realize that she has a problem if she has to change her tampon after 1-2 hours. Excessive bleeding can indicate one of these infertility diagnoses : uterine damage, fibroid tumor, uterine/vaginal birth defects, endometriosis.

Anovulation is the lack of ovulation. Women with this disease can still have normal periods. If a woman doesn’t have her period and her BBT doesn’t show that she’s ovulating then she might have ovulating problems. To be sure of that she has to consult her doctor. Amenorrhea is the lack of menstruation. Here are some infertility diagnoses that could cause amenohrrhea: PCOS, uterine/vaginal birth defects, anovulation, premature ovarian failure, hyperprolactinemia.

4) Pain symptoms. Each woman tolerates pain differently so only she can recognize a normal or an abnormal pain and consult her doctor. Here bellow are listed some pain symptoms:

Painful intercourse for a woman may be a symptom of fibroid tumors or endometriosis.

Sensation of a mass can appear on thin women in the lower abdominal area. This symptom could be cause by fibroid tumors (non-cancerous growths formed outside or inside the uterus that can cause infertility).

Cramps. During the menstruation the lining of the uterus secrets a hormone-prostaglandin that makes the uterus contract and this can produce pain. If this pain is too severe professional help is needed.

Pelvic pain is a discomfort in the pelvic area that can indicate one of these infertility diagnoses: fibroid tumor, uterine damage, PID, endometriosis.

5) Physical symptoms. In some cases physical symptoms can’t be noticed unless a physician exams you. The following physical symptoms may suggest a certain infertility diagnoses:

Hernia can produce body changes and as symptom we can mention a bulge that can be seen even when you are lying down, pain, pressure.

High fever. The temperature shouldn’t be higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit. If that’s the case, if the fever lasts for a few days associated with pelvic pain it may indicate PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) or UTI (urinary tract infection).

DES (diethylstilbestrol) is a pill which contains estrogen and used to be prescribed to woman in order to prevent miscarriage. DES can cause uterine defects in the daughters whose mothers took this medicine.

Weight gain or loss can cause ovulation problems. Excessive weight loss can determine a menstruation cessation, while obesity can be a symptom for polycystic ovarian disease.