"I-sarang"" will help create a society where children bring happiness
Infertility is defined as when a healthy couple of childbearing age has not become pregnant for a year despite having regular sexual intercourse without any contraception. When a typical couple has sex without using contraception, 85-90% of couples will get pregnant within a year.
(Source : Korea Psychological Counseling for Fertility and Pregnancy)
Infertility is not the problem of one person, but the problem of a couple as a whole.
Causes of infertility are generally categorized as unexplained(10%), a combination of couples(10%), male factor(40%), and female factor(40%).
To treat infertility, it is necessary to first accurately diagnose the cause of infertility because treatment methods will vary based on the cause.
Ovulation is the release of an egg, which acts as a “baby seed”, from the ovaries located on either side of the uterus into the fallopian tube once a month. If there is an abnormality in ovulation, fertilization does not occur, which means pregnancy is impossible. Approximately 30% of infertile women have ovulation disorders.
The fallopian tubes are thin tubes located on each side of the uterus that connect to the ovaries. Fallopian tubes serve not only as the passageway for sperm to meet the egg and a place for fertilization, but also as a crucial passageway for the fertilized egg to move down into the uterus. If both fallopian tubes are blocked, the egg and sperm cannot meet, so pregnancy cannot occur. Infertility due to fallopian tube abnormalities accounts for approximately 25-35% of all infertility cases and is on the rise along with the increase in inflammatory diseases.
The fertilized egg continues to divide and enters the uterus from the fallopian tube, where it is implanted in the endometrium, the soft lining inside the uterus. The uterus is an organ that acts as a home for the baby, maturing it for 10 months. The occurrence of adhesions inside the uterus due to past inflammation or experience with curettage, a deformity in the shape of the uterus, as well as uterine fibroids, may interfere with pregnancy and implantation, resulting in infertility. Additionally, the area where the vagina and uterus meet is called the cervix, and the narrow passage inside it is called the cervical canal. The cervix contains numerous glands that secrete mucus, and its quantity and quality changes throughout the ovulation cycle thanks to the influence of hormones. If the cervical mucus does not change appropriately according to the ovulation cycle or if its nature changes due to infection, it can interfere with the inflow of sperm, causing infertility. In some women, antibodies are developed in the body that attack and destroy sperm, also causing infertility.
The abdominal cavity refers to the large space within the low abdomen that contains uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. If there is an abnormality in the abdominal cavity(such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammation, or pelvic adhesions), it may prevent the released egg from entering the fallopian tube, making fertilization impossible, or it may change fallopian tube mobility to prevent the movement of the sperm or fertilized egg so that pregnancy does not occur.
For a normal pregnancy, the male must produce mature and healthy sperm, with enough sperm able to move properly to pass through the uterus, reach the egg, and fertilize it. In addition, the sperm must have a normal shape so that they can move in the correct direction and be present in adequate numbers within a sufficient volume of semen. Additionally, both healthy erectile function and psychological well-being are crucial for normal and satisfying sexual intercourse. If any of these factors are not met, it can lead to infertility. Male infertility can be caused by varicocele(37%), unknown causes(23%), vas deferens obstruction(13%), cryptorchidism and testicular abnormalities(3%), ejaculatory disorders and immunological abnormalities(2%), and genetic causes(1%).
In addition to direct causes, the following factors increase the risk of infertility:
| Female | Male |
|---|---|
|
|