1. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS interferes with the hormones of sufferers. The hormones controlling the reproductive system can be attacked, which leads the body to stop ovulating altogether. Without ovulation, there is no chance of getting pregnant. Some women with PCOS do ovulate sometimes, but it is so irregular that pregnancy is more difficult to achieve.

2. Natural Aging Process

It is completely normal for men and women to become less fertile as they grow older. This happens faster for women than men, with many women having more trouble getting pregnant once they pass the age of thirty-five. The good news is this is the easiest infertility problem to overcome if there are no larger issues involved.

3. Endometriosis

Endometriosis can cause pelvic scarring or adhesions which make women infertile. Problems with the fallopian tubes may also develop.

4. Low Sperm Count

This is an infertility issue for men. There are many things that can cause low sperm count and some are easier to fix than others. There are procedures where samples of sperm can be combined to produce semen samples with very high sperm counts. That sample can be used to inseminate a woman successfully.

5. Low Sperm Motility

This is a problem where sperm are basically lazy and do not do their job swimming up the fallopian tubes to penetrate the egg. If few sperm are moving as they should, there is little chance of pregnancy each month.

6. Undescended Testicles

This is a medical problem that can affect sperm count and sperm motility. It is the cause of infertility for many men.

7. Testicle Blockage

Part of the testicle is blocked, and that prevents sperm from actually being released into the female body. If sperm doesn’t make it to the egg, there is no way for a conception to take place.

8. Obesity

Many obese people struggle to have babies for years, only to succeed after they lose a lot of their weight. Conception is simply harder to achieve when a lot of excess fat is stored on the body.

9. Intense Heat Exposure

When the male body is exposed to things that raise body temperature too high, sperm count and motility can suffer. Often, just wearing looser underwear, avoiding activities that raise body temperatures, and staying away from the sauna can help.

10.  Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy

Many cancer patients end up infertile after going through the aggressive treatments required to beat the disease. This is why so many people freeze their eggs or sperm before going through these treatments.

11. Damaged Fallopian Tubes

Fallopian tubes are often damaged by untreated sexual diseases or inflammation in the tubes. The tubes are damaged or blocked, preventing sperm from making it to the egg for conception.

12. Eating Disorders

Extreme eating disorders like anorexia can stop the ovulation process, making it impossible for pregnancy to occur. Recovery from the illness can start the menstrual cycle again, reversing the infertility.

13. High Prolactin Levels

This is a hormone known for stimulating the production of milk in the breasts of pregnant women. If this hormone is too high in a non-pregnant woman, it can cause a stop in ovulation.

14. Fibroids and Adhesions

Any type of fibroid (tumor) or adhesion in the woman’s reproductive organs can prevent sperm and eggs from meeting up in a way that results in pregnancy.

15. Unknown Reasons

This isn’t exactly a fertility problem, but it is the only answer for many men and women. The cause of the infertility is simply unknown.

Related Articles:

• Infertility in Women and Common Causes
• Symptoms and Signs of Infertility
• Tips for Getting Pregnant After 40
• Fertility after 40 – Your Odds of Success Getting Pregnant
• Infertility Statistics
• Infertility Levels: What is Normal?
• Infertility Insurance Coverage
• Infertility Definition
• Odds of Getting Pregnant By Age

 Return from the Infertility Issues Page to the Natural Infertility Cures Home Page

There are many reasons women are now trying to conceive much later in life. Older women do not live the lives of “older” women. They are extremely active and can look as if they are still twenty on the outside. Women are also choosing to invest themselves in professional careers, which take up a lot of their time. They want to wait to have children when they are financially stable and have more free time. This means trying to conceive near or after the age of forty.

Age and Fertility

Unfortunately, a forty-something year old women who still looks barely over thirty on the outside is probably not barely over thirty on the inside. The chances of conceiving a child and carrying the baby full term decrease by 15% or more between the ages of thirty and forty. Once you go over the age of forty, the odds go more and more against you with each passing year.

Does this mean that you cannot get pregnant in your forties? Or course not! There are many women in their forties walking around pregnant today. In fact, you have probably seen some of them on television and in magazines, since many celebrities have conceived later in life to the applause of women around the world. Those celebrities may have the bank accounts to pay for the best fertility specialists in the nation, but you don’t necessarily need that in order to conceive later in life.

Many everyday women with much smaller bank accounts get pregnant every year after the age of forty. Some get pregnant easily while others struggle. Some are unable to conceive without the attention of specialists. Some never conceive at all. The only way to determine what will happen with your body is to start trying to conceive. Do not count yourself out or assume the worst before you start actively trying.

Tips to Help Optimize Fertility after 40

Actively trying means getting intimate with your loved one a few times a week. Avoid scheduling the times in or pressuring one another to do it at particular times or on particular days. This type of stress takes away from the enjoyment of making a baby, but it can also affect your chances of conceiving. If everyone involved is more relaxed and comes to the intimate encounters with enthusiasm and excitement, the chances of conception will be a little higher.

It is also a good idea to start tracking your basal temperature every morning before getting out of bed. If you do this a couple months and do not see any small spike in temperature at some period in the month, then you may need to see an infertility specialist. If you do see the slight spike in temperature on a particular day, then you are ovulating and it is a great time to have lots of intimate encounters.  Once you learn the time of month that ovulation occurs for your body, you can increase sexual activity the week before, since sperm can live in a woman’s body for up to a week.

You may have higher chances of conceiving after forty if you give up alcohol, cigarettes, and all illegal drugs. Stay away from caffeine and eat a very healthy diet while remaining active. The potential father should avoid wearing very tight clothing and you should both stay away from the sauna and all other places that drastically elevate temperature.

Return from Fertility after 40 to
the Infertility Issues Page

Return from Fertility after 40 to the Natural Infertility Cures Home Page

Tip #1 — Get Healthy!

Good general health does not guarantee or rule out later pregnancy. It is just a contributing factor to consider, and there are many other factors that go along with it. The following tips will give all women some things to consider, as they are general tips that are very helpful when conceiving later in life.

Tip #2 — Avoid Substances Detrimental to Conception

There are some substances that you may be using right now that could hold you back from a healthy pregnancy after forty. The two most common substances are cigarette smoke and caffeine. Both can be detrimental to your efforts at conceiving, so make a pact to give them up together.

If one or both of you are drinking more than the occasional glass of wine, it’s time to cut out alcohol beverages as well. The same goes for any illegal drugs that may be on the scene. You will need to control these things once you have a baby around, anyway.

Tip #3 — Don’t Wait a Year

Many women have heard the general rule that you must have a solid year of actively trying to conceive under your belt before a doctor will consider running infertility tests. This is often the case for younger women, but if you are approaching forty or have already gone over that hill, then you can often get testing completed after just a few months of actively trying to conceive.

Tip #4 — Get Professional Infertility Help Early

Make sure you really are “actively” trying during those three or four months. If you are unsuccessful, it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to conceive on your own. It just means you may want to have things checked out and get a professional recommendation.

Tip #5 — Start Vitamins Immediately

Most expectant mothers think of prenatal vitamins only after seeing the pink “positive” on the stick. Since there is a higher risk of birth defects when you are over the age of forty, start taking vitamins while you are trying to conceive. You should at least take a high quality folic acid supplement.

Tip #6 — Buy a Basal Thermometer

Before you get out of bed every morning, you should use a basal thermometer to take your temperature. Charting this over time will tell you whether your menstrual cycles are normal and your ovulation cycles are completing successfully. When you notice a slight spike in temperature, ovulation has taken place and you have a very small window where conception is possible.

If you monitor your temperature a couple months and do not notice any change in temperature in the mornings, then you may want to see an infertility specialist. The temperature difference may just be so minor you are missing it, or it could mean you are not having successful ovulations every month. Either way, it is better for older women to see a specialist to figure it out.

Return from Tips for Getting Pregnant After 40 to
the Infertility Issues Page

Return from Tips for Getting Pregnant After 40 to
the Natural Infertility Cures Home Page

Center of Reproductive Medicine

• This is one of the leading infertility centers in the state for many reasons. They have an in-house surgical center and advanced IVF lab. Their success rates are remarkable and they have special pricing with packages for active military servicemen and women.

Three Locations in Texas:

1015 Medical Center Blvd.
Suite 2100
Webster, TX 77598
Phone:  (281) 332-0073

3701 Kirby Drive
Suite 840
Houston, TX 77098
Phone:  (281) 332-9973

3560 Delaware
Suite 402
Beaumont, TX 77706
Phone:  (409) 898-1603

Website: infertilitytexas.com

Dallas-Fort Worth Fertility Associates

• A practice of highly experienced reproductive endocrinologists with specialization in advanced infertility treatments including ovulation induction, IUI, IVF, ICSI, and PGD. Their infertility doctors have impressive liver birth delivery rates for people in all age ranges.

Located:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
5477 Glen Lakes Drive
Dallas, TX 75231
Phone:  (214) 363-5965

Website:   dallasfertility.com

Houston IVF

• Don’t let the name of this Texas fertility center fool you. Besides performing in vitro fertilization, they perform a wide variety of infertility procedures from initial diagnosis to pre-genetic screening and advanced sperm injection procedures. They have some of the most successful rates of live births in the county. Patients are treated by board certified reproductive endocrinologists.

Located:
Memorial Hermann Tower
929 Gessner, Suite 2300
Houston, TX 77024
Phone:  (713) 465-1211

Website: houstonivf.net

Houston Fertility Institute

• These Texas infertility centers offer everything from initial infertility screening to treatment procedures like IVF. They also have a sperm donation program that will match patients with high quality donors. They also offer special deals, including an offer to receive your second cycle of IVF free. Eight different locations make them easy to reach.

Seven Convenient Texas Locations:

2500 Fondren
Suite 350
Houston, TX 77063
Phone:  (713)490-2527

251 Medical Center Blvd.
Suite 125
Webster, TX 77598
Phone:  (281) 286-4434

23920 Kay Freeway
Suite 340
Katy, TX 77494
Phone:  (281) 693-2434

6400 Fannin
Suite 2000
Houston, TX 77030
Phone:  (713) 796-1434

16545 Southwest Freeway
Suite 275
Phone:  Suger Land, TX 77479
Phone:  (281) 242-3434

9200 Pinecroft
Suite 480
The Woodlands, TX 77380
Phone:  (281) 681-0480

13215 Dotson
Suite 100
Houston, TX 77070
Phone:  (832) 237-1434

Website:  hfi-ivf.com

Return from Texas Infertility Doctors and Fertility Centers Directory
to the Natural Infertility Cures Home Page

Watch Out for Side Effects

Those experiencing these negative side effects happen to be those taking synthetic progesterone hormones. This is the first big difference between natural and synthetic progesterone: natural hormones are not known to cause any unpleasant side effects in the woman’s body, but synthetic hormones have a long list of potential side effects.

In fact, some women are so uncomfortable on synthetic hormone programs that they would rather go off the program and live with the discomforts they had prior to hormone therapy! For many, going on natural progesterone is the answer to relieving the problems experienced prior to hormone therapy and the side effects of the synthetic hormones.

The reason natural progesterone is easier on the body comes down to how it is produced. Natural hormones are produced inside the female body, but synthetic hormones usually come from the urine of mares. Synthetic hormones come from another animal, which is probably why they cause so many unpleasant side effects in women who take them.

Why Women Choose Natural Progesterone Creams

Many women do not like the idea of using a synthetic hormone that was actually produced from the urine of another animal, but others are not aware of what they are putting in their body until they start experiencing the negative side effects and question their doctor about what the synthetic hormones are actually made of. This is when many women decide to either quit hormone replacement therapy completely, or oft for a natural progesterone product.

There are some women who can take synthetic progesterone products with reasonable or controllable side effects, but there are many others who have extremely negative experiences with synthetic products. This is why the use of natural progesterone products is being advocated by many people today.

Many are now objecting to synthetic hormones due to charges of animal cruelty in the manufacturing of these hormones as well. Many object to the treatment of the mares used for their urine. This has led to a movement of boycotting synthetic products because of the living conditions forced upon these animals.

The Bottom Line

In the end, every woman has to educate herself and decide where she stands on this issue. The most important difference between natural and synthetic progesterone is the potential side effects of each. While most women experience no uncomfortable side effects from taking natural progesterone hormones, those who take synthetic progesterone hormones are very likely to experience some discomfort as a result of the unnatural form of hormones.

Some women may try synthetic hormones at first, often because they can get them for less financial cost. In the end, many will quit their program and give up on hormones altogether. Many others will see their doctors and gets witched onto a natural progesterone program.

Every woman has to decide what is right for their body when it comes to selecting hormone treatments. The help of a doctor is useful, but women should educate themselves first.

Return from Best Progesterone Cream
to the Infertility Solutions Page

Return from Best Progesterone Cream
to the Natural Infertility Cures Home Page

Progesterone creams are often used by women having difficulty conceiving a baby, but they can also be used by some women during menopause. The goal is to supplement this natural hormone within the body to increase chances of fertility or help regulate mood swings, hot flashes and other common side effects of menopause. Any woman considering these creams as a solution for either problem should be aware of potential side effects, especially if taking an over-the-counter product without direct doctor supervision.

Common Side Effects of Progesterone

The fact is there are quite a few unpleasant side effects that can come along without routine use of progesterone creams. Some women find the side effects worth the struggle if they are able to conceive a baby as a result, but others may find the potential side effects are not worth the struggle that they may cause. Those interested in taking these creams have to be willing and ready to handle any of the following common side effects:

• Thinning hair on the head
• Growth of hair on the face
• Increase of fat on the hips and stomach
• Muscle pain
• Intensified cramping during menstrual cycle
• Headaches
• Breast tenderness
• Stomach cramping
• Nausea
• Increased bloating
• Vaginal itching or dryness
• Increased discharge
• Adrenal hormone dysfunction (long term)
• Exhaustion/fatigue

It is not guaranteed that anyone taking a progesterone cream will suffer from any of these side effects. Some women may experience one or two in a very minor manner while others experience one or two to an extreme measure. Still others may experience many of these side effects at once, making it extremely uncomfortable to continue taking the creams.

Controlling Progesterone Cream Side Effects

The good news is many women can control the side effects of a progesterone cream to some extent. It may not be possible to completely eliminate all of the side effects, but women who take the following measures can lower the experience of side effects to the maximum possible degree:

1. Check with a doctor to make sure progesterone supplementation is necessary. If the body is not low on this hormone, then adding more to the body could cause a surplus that is not healthy. Over-the-counter creams should only be used if it has been recommended by a doctor or under doctor supervision.

2. A regular sleep schedule should be followed to ensure the body receives adequate amounts of rest every single night. The lack of sleep can cause enhanced side effects.

3. A healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables should be consumed regularly. Some of the side effects, such as weight gain in the hips and stomach, can be controlled by not consuming foods high in sugar, refined starch, or saturated fat.

4. Avoid toxins in the natural environment which could intensify the side effects of progesterone creams. This is not something most women have to worry about, but it is something to be considered.

The first measure is the most important of all. It is important that the extra progesterone actually be needed by the system. Women should avoid assuming they need progesterone and self-medicating. If this is done and the side effects are intense, it is possible that the body does not actually need the increase in progesterone or would do better with a natural source.

Return from Progesterone Cream Side Effects
to the Infertility Solutions

Return from Progesterone Cream Side Effects
to the Natural Infertility Cures

Progesterone is a natural hormone that is released from the ovary right after ovulation. When you track your temperature every morning for that slight increase that signals ovulation, you are depending on progesterone to do its job, since it is the release of this hormone that causes that slight increase in temperature when ovulation has been successful. Due to this direct tie to ovulation, it makes sense that many women use progesterone cream to increase their chances of successfully conceiving a child.

Signs of Low Progesterone

One common sign that a woman is low on progesterone is the lack of that slight increase in temperature that marks ovulation once a month. Many women struggling to conceive take the absence or inconsistency of this increase rise in temperature to mean they need to increase their progesterone levels in order to conceive. While this is the fact in some cases, it is not always the fact. This is why many women will successfully conceive when using progesterone creams, while others will continue to struggle to conceive even with consistent use of the cream.

What Makes the Difference?

The reason some women successfully conceive with the use of these creams while others do not comes down to the fact that the lack or inconsistency of temperature increase can come from a couple of problems:

1.   The body is lacking in progesterone, so enough of the hormone is not released with ovulation to raise the temperature.

2.   The eggs being released from the ovary are not healthy, so the ovulation is not successful. In this case, the progesterone is not release because a healthy fertilization has not occurred.

Progesterone creams can be effective in the first case, but these hormones will do nothing in the second case. If the problem is simply a low level of progesterone in the body, then it can be remedied in many cases by supplementing the progesterone with a high quality cream. In most cases, a pharmaceutical grade cream prescribed by a doctor is the best option for maximum fertility enhancement.

Even if the eggs being released are healthy and there is just a low level of progesterone, the creams may not be the only intervention needed. There can be other problems in the man or woman contributing to the problems conceiving.  In those cases, a doctor would have to determine all of the problems and recommend other treatments in addition to the progesterone cream.

If the problem is unhealthy eggs and unsuccessful ovulation, progesterone cream will do nothing to help a woman conceive.

How to Use Progesterone Cream for Fertility Enhancement

Anyone suspecting low progesterone levels should consult with a doctor to determine the possible causes for their struggles to conceive. Some may choose to start using over-the-counter progesterone creams to see if it helps. Some may be successful, others will not be so lucky. When over-the-counter creams do not work, a doctor should be consulted to determine if hormone supplementation is even necessary.

It is important to recognize that there are many things that can cause infertility and in many cases the exact cause of the problem is never identified. Some women will struggle to conceive for years, only to suddenly conceive just as they give up trying. Fertility is a complicated mystery. We understand so much about it, yet there is so much we don’t yet know.

Return from Progesterone Creams to Treat Infertility
to the Infertility Solutions Page

Return from Progesterone Creams to Treat Infertility
to the Natural Infertility Cures Home Page

Odds of Pregnancy in One Female Fertility Cycle:

In any given cycle, a younger women is more likely to get pregnant.

• At the age of 25, a woman has a 30% –35% chance of getting pregnant during one cycle.
• At the age of 35, a woman has a 15% –20% chance of getting pregnant during one cycle.
• At the age of 45, a woman has a 3% –5% chance of getting pregnant during one cycle.

Chances of Getting Pregnant Within One Year:

Over the course of a year, it is even more obvious how a woman’s age can affect her odds of getting pregnant.

• At the age of 20, a woman has a 86% chance of getting pregnant within one year.
• At the age of 25, a woman has a 78% chance of getting pregnant within one year.
• At the age of 30, a woman has a 63% chance of getting pregnant within one year.
• At the age of 35, a woman has a 52% chance of getting pregnant within one year.
• At the age of 40, a woman has a 32% chance of getting pregnant within one year.
• At the age of 45, a woman has a 5% chance of getting pregnant within one year.
• At the age of 50+, a woman has less than 1% chance of getting pregnant within one year.

As you can see, starting from about age 40, a woman is more likely to to be dealing with infertility than getting pregnant.  This is why so many women over the age of 40 have trouble getting pregnant.

Male Age Matters Too

While it is true that fertility falls more sharply for women as they get older than for men, male infertility is not uncommon. Studies have shown that both the quality and quantity of their semen is lower the older a man gets, especially after age 40.

What this Means for You

The good news is that many couples can still have children later in later, but it may not be as easy as it is for younger couples. However, it is important to seek help earlier rather than later to optimize your chances of getting pregnant!

Return from Symptoms of Infertility to
the Infertility Issues Page

Return from Odds of Getting Pregnant by Age to the Natural Infertility Cures Home Page

Most Common Infertility Causes:

Below are the top six most common fertility issues:

1. Blocked fallopian tubes are one of the most common fertility issues. A blocked fallopian tube will keep an egg from being fertilized by blocking the sperm. Or if fertilization does occur there is a greater chance of an ectopic pregnancy. (This is when a fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tube and can be fatal if the tube is not removed before it ruptures from the growing embryo. Normally if the ovary is okay and if both tubes are blocked IVF is one treatment option to solve this particular fertility issue.

2. Endometriosis is a major fertility issue for a lot of women. Endometriosis is when the endometrial tissue grows out of hand and attaches to places other than the inside of the uterus. It can attach to the fallopian tubes, causing blockages, or to the ovaries or the outside of the uterus and even in the abdominal wall. Endometriosis, ironically, reverses when pregnancy happens, but it can also hinder pregnancy from occurring. Sometimes the tissue can be surgically removed or treated with hormones to help pregnancy occur. Intra-uterine insemination is used as a treatment or artificial insemination, to help get the sperm closer to the fallopian tubes for fertilization.

3. Ovulation issues can stem from any number of reasons from unbalanced hormones to conditions like PCOS or endometriosis. If an egg isn’t released then fertilization can’t happen. There are hormonal treatments to help bring about ovulation. IVF is another possibility to help bring about a pregnancy.

4. PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome effects many women of child-bearing years. Normally it is the lack of a menstrual period that alerts to this condition. Obvious reasons for fertility issues are lack of ovulation and even if ovulation happens, conception may be difficult. Less severe cases of PCOS can be treated with medications. More severe cases can be treated with IVF. Very severe cases can render a woman infertile indefinitely.

5. One fertility issue can be poor egg quality; when the eggs aren’t healthy enough to be fertilized. This type of issue can’t be solved necessarily with medications. When this happens if a woman wants to carry a pregnancy she must use donor eggs.

6. Luteal phase defects are when the time from ovulation to menstruation is too short. In order to sustain a healthy pregnancy this time needs to be at least ten days long. Normal cycles are normally two full weeks. If the time falls below ten days and a pregnancy does happen it could end in early miscarriage. Some refer to these as chemical pregnancies. These may give a positive pregnancy test then a few days later end in miscarriage. The most common cause of a luteal phase defect is low progesterone. When progesterone is deficient it can cause a whole host of other fertility issues. Progesterone is the one hormone in the body that regulates the entire endocrine system. Even issues like thyroid problems will crop up with a progesterone deficiency. This is probably one of the easiest to correct by simply using a progesterone supplement in the form of a trans dermal cream will help to balance the hormones and correct the fertility issues.

Related Articles:

• Infertility in Women and Common Causes
• PCOS and Infertility
• Uterus Infertility
• Estrogen Infertility

Return from Common Causes of Infertility
to the Natural Infertility Cures Home Page

Chances of Getting Pregnant

The majority of infertility problems lie with the woman. More than half of the cases of infertility stem from female issues that hurt her chances of getting pregnant. Male infertility usually consists of sperm disorders or even unexplained. Fertility in women are judged by the proper menstrual cycle. A very common cause of infertility is due to ovulation problems. Other issues include blocked fallopian tubes from previous tubal ligations or scar tissue and problems with the uterus itself.

Common Causes of Infertility in Women

Statistics show that younger women are more fertile than older women. Fertility started to decline in the latter 30′s. Women lose about 1000 eggs each month. Plus, conditions like PCOS, endometriosis or certain sexually transmitted diseases worsen over time and can eventually lead to infertility.

Another major cause of infertility is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). PID is sometimes caused from untreated sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia or gonorrhea. These diseases cause scarring in the pelvic cavity – in the fallopian tubes, uterus and even in the ovaries. Normally a woman with PID can become pregnant with the help of invasive infertility treatments like IVF.

PCOS is a leading cause of infertility in women. PCOS is caused from hormonal disorders. PCOS disrupts the woman’s normal ovulation cycle. An inability to ovulate or ovulating irregularly is the cause of infertility in women with PCOS. This condition is alleviated by the medication Metformin. Metformin aids in the absorption of insulin and helps to correct to proper hormone levels.

The hormones should be among the first things tested when infertility is suspected. The endocrine system is responsible for producing the hormones. The adrenal, hypothalamus, ovaries, pancreas, pituitary, testes, and thyroid glands make up the endocrine system. If these are off a lot of times infertility is a side effect.

While there are several medical reasons which cause infertility, the couple also has to look at their lifestyle for causes of infertility. Alcohol and drugs, smoking, weight problems and sexually transmitted diseases as well as stress can cause infertility.

Stress can be caused if conception doesn’t occur within a couple of months of trying. Doctors are unable to diagnose any specific infertility problems within the woman or the man. They are labeled as unexplained infertility. If couples could eliminate this stress, conception has a better chance of happening. If the body is relaxed ovulation has a better chance of occurring. So remaining stress free, or as stress free as possible is very important when trying to conceive.

Return from Infertility in Women to
the Infertility Issues Page

Return from Infertility in Women and Common Causes
to the Natural Infertility Cures Home Page