STERILITY AND INFERTILITY

What is sterility and infertility?

     A sterility is the inability to carry a pregnancy to term (to have a live child). This inability to reproduce can occur because the sexual organs do not work well or because the gametes are defective.

     The infertility refers to the inability to conceive . It is considered that there is a problem of infertility or infertility when they were unable to have a living child after a year of having sex without using contraception, such as condoms , in order to procreate.

Causes

For men it occurs by several factors:

Pretesticular factor : Alterations in hormones that stimulate the testes (LH and FSH). They are rare.

 Testicular Factor : Affections of the testicle. They can be genetic, congenital (birth) or acquired (infections).

 Post - testicular factor : They affect sperm once they have left the testis. They are obstructions via sperm, seminal infections, presence of anti - sperm antibodies, ejaculatory disorders and coital disorders.

The absence of sperm (azoospermia) or the shortage or poor quality of it (oligospermia) can result from testicular factor, genetic causes or as a consequence of illness.

If it is due to a post-testicular factor (obstructive azoospermia) can have a congenital origin (a malformation in the vas deferens), occur as a result of trauma or making a volutarias ligatures, such as vasectomy.

In the quantity and quality of sperm can influence lifestyle. The Alcohol and drugs can also temporarily reduce sperm quality, as well as environmental toxins and substances such as pesticides.

Another cause of male infertility is the inability to ejaculate , which can have various origins, such as diabetes , medication for treatment to regulate blood pressure , the impotence or surgery for prostate or urethra.

In the woman the factors that influence are:

Cervical Factor : Referred to the neck uterus that connects the vagina , the uterus and the fallopian tubes , where is the egg after ovulation. Anatomical or functional alterations that interfere with the path over which the sperm from the vagina (where it is deposited) to one of the fallopian tubes, where fertilization occurs the egg may exist. Among the anatomical alterations found polyps, cysts and occasional caused by trauma or surgery.

 Uterine factor : They can be causes uterine or endometrial . The most common are uterine malformations, benign tumors or myomas, synechiae or adhesions to the walls. Among endometrial, include infections of the endometrium (endometritis).

Tuboperitoneal Factor : Changes in the fallopian or ovarian tube space. The most important reason why this factor appears is infectious , producing different types of salpingitis or inflammation of the tubes, resulting in obstruction.

Among noninfectious causes, the most common is endometriosis, a disease that involves the occurrence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, especially in the ovaries and the ligaments that hold the uterus to the pelvis. The endometrium is out of "menstruate" all cycles, but not having a natural drainage channel, instead accumulates and acquires a cystic form.

 Ovarian endocrine factor : Chronic anovulation may appear by a dysfunction of the hypothalamus and pituitary , why this gland does not produce enough of gonadotropins (LH and FSH) and ovary not encouraged.

Another possible alteration is appearing on the amounts of LH and FSH, as is the case of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which are characterized by the excess production of the hormone LH pituitary, by which the cycle is altered ovulatory.

This table is associated with obesity and excess production of male hormones, which often lead to increased hair. There may also be ovulation disorders problems with other hormones, for example, increased prolactin or thyroid disorders.

Factors related to lifestyle : stress, diet or very intense practice of certain sports can alter the hormonal balance female.

Both men and women, psychic and emotional factors have an important influence on the reproductive capacity.