Fertility is an asset to be protected and preserved from childhood. Not everyone knows that trivial infections contracted in childhood and young age, if neglected, can lead to long-term negative consequences on fertility. Every woman is born with a predefined number of egg cells (ovarian reserve) which, over time, is reduced until exhaustion. For this reason, fertility clinic decrease starting from the age of 30 with a very significant decline after 40.

Causes and treatments for male infertility

Male infertility is a condition on the rise, especially among young people, it is linked to the quality and quantity of sperm that are produced and represents one of the most common causes of the difficulty, for many couples, in conventionally obtaining a pregnancy. Difficulty in conceiving is a deeply felt problem, although male infertility problems are often little investigated due to little prevention and little control among the younger population.

Reproductive medicine provides diversified treatments for every form of infertility, from pharmacological therapy to surgery, up to assisted reproduction paths. Read the article to learn more about male infertility and useful therapies to treat it.

Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples

A couple who cannot conceive after a year of regular, unprotected intercourse is generally considered infertile. We must not forget, however, that a non-negligible percentage of couples manage to have a child after two years of trying, so many prefer to talk about infertility after 24 months (according to the criteria of the World Health Organization - WHO)

Assisted reproductive techniques

The term “assisted reproduction” refers to any technique that involves the manipulation of eggs and sperm to help couples conceive. Typically, it is the solution that is resorted to after the woman has tried to take drugs to stimulate ovulation. There are different assisted reproductive techniques:

• Intrauterine insemination: in this case, the sperm is introduced directly into the uterus through a long, thin tube.
• In vitro fertilization (IVF or IVF): is the most common assisted IVF treatment and involves the administration of drugs to stimulate the ovaries to release more eggs. The eggs thus obtained are collected, and fertilized with sperm in the laboratory and one or two of them are then transferred to the uterus.
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): This is a procedure similar to IVF, but involves an embryologist (a highly trained laboratory technician) directly injecting a single sperm into each of the retrieved eggs.
• IVF with donation: this is the case in which the couple decides to use the eggs or embryos of a donor or the sperm of a donor. In some cases, a gestational carrier or surrogate is used, that is, a woman who agrees to carry on the pregnancy on behalf of the couple and give birth to their child.

The causes of infertility are numerous and of different nature

Smoking, obesity or excessive thinness, various environmental substances, such as plastic and hydrocarbon derivatives, a sedentary lifestyle, and even excessive physical activity are some of the main modifiable risk factors capable of influencing sexual health. and reproductive of an individual. For some causes, it is possible to intervene with timely diagnosis, pharmacological treatments, and adequate therapies, but also with prevention and information. The most frequent causes of infertility, both male and female, are sexually transmitted infections. Over the last few years, there has been an increase in acute and chronic pathologies of the reproductive sphere.

Among women, tubal alterations, pelvic inflammatory diseases, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and hormonal and ovulatory alterations have increased. Among men, however, conditions that alter hormone production, reduce testosterone, and modify the structure and function of the testicle have increased, such as varicocele, cryptorchidism, genital malformations, testicular inflammation, and prostatic pathologies.

How fertility supplements can help you get pregnant

Do you want to become a parent, but your wish is slow to come true? When you want to conceive a child, it is not a given that you will succeed immediately. Sometimes a lot of time can pass without anything happening and the reasons can be different.

However, the question many couples ask is whether they can do something to stimulate their fertility. The golden rule is to be consistent in maintaining good habits, such as: having a healthy lifestyle, eating well, practicing physical activity, not smoking, and eliminating the causes of stress. In addition to these good practices, it is possible to get extra help by taking fertility supplements.