June is World Infertility Month, a month dedicated to all those couples who have difficulties conceiving a child naturally.
It is estimated that in Spain there are approximately 600,000 couples of reproductive age who have complications in achieving pregnancy, being more than 70 million worldwide.
To learn more about sterility, we talked to a leading specialist in Assisted Reproduction: Dr. Marqués López-Teijón, assistant general director of the prestigious Institut Marquès, based in Barcelona and Sabadell.
What is sterility and how does it differ from infertility?
Sterility is the inability to achieve pregnancy after one year of sexual intercourse and without the use of contraceptive methods.
Infertility, on the other hand, is the inability to achieve a full-term pregnancy. Therefore, the difference is that in sterility, pregnancy is not achieved and in infertility, miscarriages are suffered.
Is infertility more common in men or in women?
Infertility is a couple’s disease, so it affects both partners equally. In any case, when we carry out a study we find a diagnosis of male origin in one third of the couples, a female origin in another third and, in the latter third, sterility is of unknown origin.
What are the main causes of sterility in women?
There are many possible causes, among which the following stand out:
- Obstruction in the uterine tubes
- Alterations in ovulation
- Endometriosis
- Low ovarian reserve
- Advanced age
- Polyps or fibroids in the uterus
What are the causes of male infertility?
In men, we can identify the following reasons:
- Poor seminal quality, either due to poor motility or concentration.
- Absence of sperm in the semen
- Erection or ejaculation dysfunctions
- Hormonal alterations
- Varicocele
- Undescended testicles in infancy and that were not operated on
- Cancer treatments
Finally, it should be noted that, in both men and women, we must evaluate the genetic component.
At what point should we see a specialist?
First of all, it should be noted that the monthly pregnancy rate in couples is 20 percent, so it is not as high as we may think. We should consult a specialist when a year of regular sexual intercourse has passed without achieving an evolutionary pregnancy.
If there is a previous sterility factor, it is advisable to see a specialist before one year.
What are the solutions for infertility?
Diagnosis is fundamental, as well as an individual evaluation for each case. Once we have a diagnosis, we can make a prognosis of the different options and probabilities available to the couple. Once these steps have been taken, the treatment begins.
There are simple cases in which sterility can be solved with an antibiotic, in other cases artificial inseminations or in vitro fertilization may be required. In more complicated cases, the only alternative may be egg or sperm donation.
At present, the treatment with the highest success rate is in vitro fertilization, since it allows the entire process to be carried out with complete follow-up in the laboratory.