Infertility

Infertility is when a couple cannot get pregnant despite having regular unprotected sex. About 84% of couples get pregnant naturally within a year if they have regular unprotected sex every two to three days. About one in seven couples, on the other hand, have difficulty getting pregnant. This is called sterility or infertility of the couple. This can be caused by medical problems of the woman, the man, or both partners. Infertility in women is often caused by problems with ovulation. Some disorders result in no eggs being released at all, while others only prevent the release of eggs during some cycles. Ovulation problems can occur as a result of thyroid problems, for example. Problems with cervical mucus and endometriosis are other causes of infertility in women. Furthermore, the side effects of some medications can negatively affect fertility. For example, the ability to conceive can be made more difficult if you take ibuprofen or aspirin in high doses and over a long period of time. Chemotherapy and illegal drugs such as marijuana and cocaine can also seriously affect fertility and make ovulation difficult. Women's fertility steadily declines from the age of 30 until menopause, after which all women are infertile.

In men, one of the most common causes of infertility is poor sperm quality. Possible factors of abnormal sperm are too few sperm or sperm that hardly move. Because the testicles produce and store sperm, sperm quality can be seriously affected if they are damaged. Pre-existing conditions such as testicular infections, testicular cancer or testicular injuries can therefore be possible causes of infertility. In addition, certain types of medication can sometimes cause fertility problems in men. These include anabolic steroids, chemotherapy and also drugs such as marijuana and cocaine. In men, however, sperm quality only deteriorates after the age of 40. Likewise, erectile dysfunction increases at this age. Healthy men, however, can remain fertile into old age. For example, there are some men who still became fathers when they were over 100 years old. If no organic cause can be found in either partner, this is called unexplained infertility. This phenomenon applies to about 25% of all cases.

If you still want to have children, you have different options. There are three different medical types of infertility treatments: Medication, surgery and assisted fertilization. But first, couples should keep a close eye on their cycle for a while and make positive changes to their lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle increases the chances of a successful pregnancy. Alcohol, smoking, and stress should be avoided by both partners. Thereafter, the doctor will carry out examinations and start medical infertility treatment according to the diagnosis. Common fertility drugs promote monthly ovulation in women who do not ovulate regularly or at all. There are also different types of surgical procedures in women that can be used to clarify fertility problems and support fertility. For example, if the fallopian tubes are blocked or scarred, surgery may be needed to repair them. Laparoscopy is often used to treat endometriosis. In men, surgical sperm retrieval may be performed, with any retrieved sperm frozen, and stored for later use. Assisted, or artificial, insemination includes intrauterine insemination (IUI), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). The former takes place in the woman's body, while in the other two methods the egg is fertilized in the laboratory and then inserted into the uterus. In Germany, the cost of three artificial inseminations is shared between the patient and the health insurance company. IVF treatment costs about €3000, while ICSI costs over €4000.