Can Infertility Be Reversed?
Infertility is quite common, affecting about 15 percent of couples, according to the National Library of Medicine. Fortunately, infertility can sometimes be reversed and women can go on to have babies. In fact, conventional medical therapies can reverse infertility in 85 to 90 percent of all cases.
Defining Infertility
Doctors will say that a couple is infertile if the couple is unable to become pregnant after a year of trying. A doctor might also say that a woman who gets pregnant but suffers miscarriages or stillbirths is infertile.
In about one-third of all cases of infertility, the woman has a problem that prevents her from getting pregnant. These problems may include endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes, and polyps or fibroids in the uterus.
The man has a reproductive problem in another one-third of cases. Male reproductive problems include low sperm count and poor sperm motility, which is the ability of the sperm to swim around enough to find the egg.
In the last one-third of cases, both the man and the woman have a reproductive issue or no cause for infertility can be found.
The good news is that treatment can reverse infertility in many cases. Some treatments are specifically for women and others are specifically for me; a few involve both partners.
Infertility Reversal in Women and in Men
Fertility specialists use a variety of approaches to reverse infertility. Treatments include drugs, surgery, and assisted reproductive technology.
Ovulation induction uses drugs to help a woman ovulate, or release an egg from her ovaries. Surgery can help reverse infertility in women by repairing blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, treating endometriosis, and removing uterine polyps or fibroids. Surgery can treat enlargement of a vein the scrotum, which is a common cause of infertility in men.
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) helps bring the sperm and egg together for fertilization. ART typically involves in vitro fertilization, a procedure in which embryologists put an egg and a sperm together in a dish in a laboratory. The procedure gives sperm the best opportunity to encounter the egg and fertilize it.
ART helps reverse infertility for women whose surgery did not correct their fallopian tubes or who have severe endometriosis, premature ovarian failure, or unexplained infertility. Assisted reproductive technology also helps couples overcome some causes of male infertility, such as low sperm count or poor sperm motility.
Lifestyle changes, such as achieving a healthy body weight, can help. Avoiding tobacco, illegal substances, and alcohol can also help reverse infertility.
For more information on reversing infertility, consult with a fertility clinic. Many couples who undergo these treatments reverse their infertility and go on to have babies.
