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Commonly Overlooked Reasons for Infertility
Learn about commonly overlooked reasons for infertility that may be affecting your ability to get pregnant, and discover solutions to improve your chances of conception.
Struggling To Conceive?
Start by finding a specialist you trust. If your specialist doesn’t take your concerns seriously or seems unwilling to help, don’t hesitate to seek a second opinion. Make sure both you and your partner get investigated by a physician who specializes in the field.
Make sure both you and your partner get investigated by a physician who specializes in the field.
How Second Opinions Help
If you’re experiencing infertility, asking for a second opinion can put you on a faster track to a solution.
What Is A Second Opinion?
Getting a second opinion means asking another doctor or healthcare professional for their advice or evaluation about your health condition or treatment. It’s like getting a second viewpoint from another expert to make sure you have all the information you need. It can help you better understand your options, confirm a diagnosis, or explore alternative treatments.
It’s important because it helps you make informed choices about your health.
If you are looking for a second opinion, it may be good to remember that it should be done so that you feel safer and better informed. It shouldn’t add more stress. Try to look for a second opinion from someone who has been highly recommended by others.
Overlooked Causes & Treatments
Explore common causes of infertility, such as PCOS, endometriosis, and thyroid imbalances. Discover insights many women wish they had known earlier by reading further below.
PCOS: One In Five Women
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) causes irregular periods, irregular ovulation and can cause fertility problems.
You need to know about PCOS because it could affect your chances of getting pregnant or affect the risk of miscarriage or other complications during pregnancy.
Most women with PCOS do not know they have it.
1 in 5 women has PCOS. Imagine 5 females in a room. (You and 4 other adult women you know.) If the 5 of you represented the world’s female population, one of you would have PCOS. This is how common it is!
Most women with PCOS don’t know they have it, and many women with a confirmed PCOS diagnosis don’t know PCOS is often linked to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.
PCOS is a common condition that can affect fertility. The symptoms can often be reversed with lifestyle changes.
The good news is that PCOS is a reversible condition. With the right lifestyle adjustments, it’s possible to significantly improve and regulate the symptoms.
If your gynecologist tells you that you do not look like a person who has PCOS this is a sign that you should visit another specialist.
The Symptoms Of PCOS Vary
You might have PCOS if you:
- have irregular periods and/or heavy bleeding
- are overweight, underweight or anything in-between (a common misconception is that you need to be overweight to have PCOS, however, the symptoms often increase with weight gain which is good to know)
- have bad skin or increased body hair
(You can have only one of the symptoms or all of them.)
Hormonal birth control can hide symptoms of hormonal imbalances like PCOS.
It is not uncommon for PCOS to be misdiagnosed or inefficiently treated. If you suspect you might have PCOS, make sure you see an experienced specialist in the field and investigate how the treatment may vary depending on in which country you live.
Unknown food sensitivities and high insulin may hold the key.
PCOS is often linked to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction, where elevated insulin levels lead to increased testosterone production, disrupting the balance of female hormones and hindering ovulation. With the right dietary changes, PCOS can potentially be reversed.
Gynecologists in both the US and Brazil may advise that consuming gluten, lactose, and/or sugar can worsen PCOS symptoms. Sensitivity to these foods can sometimes resemble an allergy, but it’s not the same as traditional allergies like celiac disease, which is easier to diagnose. If only celiac disease tests are available in your country, you might consider international tests such as Cyrex Array 3.
Reducing or avoiding gluten and other foods that trigger your PCOS symptoms could help reduce inflammation. However, a gluten-free diet is not recommended for all women with PCOS, as it may not benefit everyone. What should be universally recommended, however, is monitoring your blood sugar and insulin levels. You can monitor your blood sugar levels with a glucose monitor.
"When I studied at MIT I had a doctor who told me that I may benefit from avoiding refined carbohydrates since I have PCOS and have an increased risk of developing insulin resistance and diabetes. Since then, I try to maintain a low GI diet and that really makes my PCOS symptoms less severe."
Endometriosis: One In Ten Women
A new saliva test offers a way to diagnose endometriosis. However, treatment options can vary based on your location, so it's important to research where to find the best care.
While the test represents a significant advancement in endometriosis diagnostics, it is intended to complement, not replace, traditional imaging techniques like ultrasound and MRI. These imaging methods remain essential for comprehensive treatment planning.
If you suspect endometriosis, it’s important to consult an experienced specialist. Treatment options can vary depending on where you live, so exploring where you might receive the most effective care is highly recommended.
Thyroid Imbalance
The thyroid gland is important for our fertility. If we don’t have the right levels of thyroid hormone, it can be difficult to get pregnant.
Many people also get hyperthyroidism in connection with pregnancy or miscarriage. This is because hormonal fluctuations can trigger thyroid disease.
When you have hyperthyroidism, you get too much thyroid hormone, something that increases the metabolism of the mother and affects the development of the child.
There is treatment to stabilize the thyroid gland. Talk to your doctor if you suspect you may have a problem with too much or too little thyroid hormone. The diagnosis can be made with a simple blood test.
Thyroid imbalances is common in connection with pregnancy or miscarriage.
- An under functioning thyroid gland can cause coldness, severe fatigue, constipation and hair loss.
- Over-functioning can cause problems in the form of tremors, sweating, palpitations, weight loss, hair loss, loose stools and feeling of stress in the body.
- In case of both an over and under functioning thyroid gland, there may be a swelling of the neck from an enlarged thyroid gland.
- If your thyroid gland is only slightly over or under functioning, you might not notice it at all.
- Thyroid disease can cause anxiety or depression. In general, the more severe the thyroid disease, the more severe the mood changes.
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