What Are Infertility Symptoms in Men and Women?
Conception may not come easily for some couples, and infertility struggles can be frustrating and heartbreaking. According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 15% of couples are infertile. Fortunately, medicine has evolved enough to offer couples many different options to get pregnant with helpful procedures like ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination (IUI), and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Learn what the symptoms of infertility are for men and women and how to get help if you suspect you may be struggling with conception.
Infertility Symptoms in Men
Many men are surprised at how common male infertility is. According to the American Pregnancy Association, male infertility factors contribute to 30% of all cases of infertility, and malefactors alone are responsible for one-fifth of all cases of infertility.
Male infertility symptoms can include but are not limited to:
- A reduced sense of smell
- A reduction in body hair, especially facial hair
- Frequently catching colds or upper respiratory infections
- Gynecomastia, or the growth of tissue in the breast area
- Lumps, pain, or swelling in the scrotum
- Difficulty ejaculating
- Very small volumes of semen released during ejaculation
- Erectile dysfunction
Infertility Symptoms in Women
Infertility is about as common in women as it is men. The CDC reports that about 12% of women between the ages of 15-44, regardless of marital status, have difficulty with conception or carrying a pregnancy to term.
The most common symptom of infertility in women is the inability to get pregnant, even with regular intercourse timed with ovulation. Other female infertility symptoms include but are not limited to:
- Painful intercourse
- Periods that aren’t regular
- A diagnosis of a polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis
- Heavy periods with very painful cramping (an indication of possible endometriosis)
- No period for a few months
- Unexplained weight gain
- Thinning hair
- Increased growth of facial hair
- Lack of libido or a reduced sex drive
When to Seek Help for Infertility
If you suspect that yourself or your partner may be struggling with infertility, there’s help available for you.
Types of Infertility Treatments
There are several options to treat infertility. Ovulation induction can help trigger ovulation in a woman who doesn’t ovulate frequently, and intrauterine insemination can help deliver sperm directly into the uterus, making it easier for sperm to reach an egg during ovulation. In cases where conception is not achieved through less invasive means, in vitro fertilization can be used to fertilize an egg outside the uterus, implanting the embryo directly in the uterus once its viable.
In some cases, a combination of these methods are used to help a couple achieve the goal of conception.
Contact New York Reproductive Wellness Today
If you’re experiencing an inability to conceive, New York Reproductive wellness can help. Contact us today for an appointment to get started.
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