Infertility is on the rise and there is a need for you to know the subtle signs that may range from cramps, his orgasms and zits that pop up on your skin!
You Have A Swollen Scrotum
Varicocele is a condition in which the veins that drain the testicle become enlarged, similar to the varicose veins you get in your leg.
It may cause the scrotum to swell or form a weird, twisted mass on the surface. The condition may decrease the quality of sperm, as well as how much is produced—thus impacting fertility. Varicocele can be surgically repaired, which may improve sperm numbers and function or cure infertility.
You Have “dry” Orgasms
Sperm is an important ingredient in baby-making, so when very little—or no—semen is ejaculated during the climax, making that baby can be tough. Known as retrograde ejaculation, what happens is the semen goes backwards into the bladder, instead of up and out through the penis. A bunch of health conditions can cause it, including diabetes, nerve damage from spinal injuries, certain medications, and surgery of the bladder, prostate or urethra; treatment depends on the underlying cause.
You’ve Been Trying To Get Pregnant For 6 Months
Six months is about the time frame women between the ages of 35 and 40 should give themselves, before discussing fertility concerns with their doctor. For women below the age of 35, experts recommend trying unprotected, well-timed intercourse for about a year—before having any testing or treatment; women over 40 may want to consult an obstetrician/gynaecologist right away.
See your doctor sooner than later if you’ve suffered multiple miscarriages, have a history of pelvic inflammatory disease or experience any other symptoms of infertility.
You Have No Idea When Your Period Is Coming
Twenty-eight days is the average length of a menstrual cycle, but anything between 21 and 35 days is considered normal. Fluctuating a little from month to month is one thing, but if your period is so irregular that you don’t even try to track it anymore, it could indicate a problem producing eggs or ovulating.
Ovulation disorders (meaning you ovulate infrequently or not at all) account for infertility in about 25 percent of infertile couples. One of the most common causes of female infertility is a polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)—a condition characterized by longer than normal stretches between periods, or even skipping cycles for months in a row.
Irregular periods may also result from excessive physical or emotional stress, which can mess with the hormones responsible for stimulating ovulation each month; being too heavy or too thin, or gaining or losing a lot of weight quickly may also have the same effect.
Talk to your doctor; he may be able to prescribe fertility drugs to help induce or stimulate ovulation.
Your Period Is Heavy When It Comes
If your period is heavy, so much so that a pad and a tampon still doesn’t feel like enough, it may be a sign of infertility. Certain medical conditions, like thyroid problems or kidney disease, can cause excessive menstrual bleeding, medications (such as anti-inflammatory drugs or anticoagulants) may as well, or the reason may be a condition linked to infertility.
In a normal menstrual cycle, the hormones oestrogen and progesterone work together to regulate the buildup of the lining of the uterus—which sheds during your period.
If, for instance, your ovaries don’t release an egg, your body produces less progesterone, hormones become imbalanced, the lining in your uterus over-develops, and you end up bleeding extra heavily.
Fibroids in your uterus can also cause heavier or longer-than-normal periods; some types of these benign tumours can block fallopian tubes or interfere with the implantation of a fertilized egg. As much as 10 percent of infertile women have fibroids, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. If you soak through at least one pad or tampon an hour for more than a few hours, see your doctor.
Your Periods Are Very Painful
The pains we are talking about is much more than the uncomfortable throb or dull ache that most women are cursed with during their periods (those cramps are your uterus’s way of telling you it’s contracting to expel its lining).
This pain is however not comparable to the pelvic pain and severe cramping associated with endometriosis. This kind may begin before your period and extend several days into it. It may include your lower back and cause abdominal pain, and it can get worse over time.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus grows in other locations, such as your ovaries, bowel or pelvis. The extra tissue growth and its’ surgical removal can cause scarring, which can get in the way of an egg and sperm unite, and it may also affect the lining of the uterus, disrupting implantation.
About one-third to one-half of women with endometriosis have difficulty getting pregnant. Other symptoms of endometriosis include pain during intercourse, urination and bowel movements.
You Have Breakouts
It’s not because you just ate a whole lot of greasy food, as your out-of-control acne could be blamed on fluctuating hormones (from your period or menopause), a whole lot of stress, or a medication side effect.
It may also be a sign of the polycystic ovarian syndrome. That’s because, in women with PCOS, ovaries make more androgen or “male hormone”—than normal.
Increased levels of this hormone may lead to adult acne flare-ups, as well as excessive facial or body hair, and even male-patterned baldness.
