Why is it difficult to get pregnant? Explains the causes of infertility and how to get pregnant faster

Infertility may be an unavoidable problem for couples who are unable to have children in this age of late marriage. It is well known that both men and women experience a decline in reproductive function as they age. Also, if you are young and have physical problems, it may be difficult to conceive.

Many people have questions such as "What is infertility in the first place?", "Is there a characteristic of people who have difficulty getting pregnant?", "Can infertility be improved?" For those who are thinking about trying to get pregnant from now on, and those who have already started trying to get pregnant, I have summarized the articles in an easy-to-understand manner so that you can solve the questions related to infertility.

Find out in this article

• what is infertility
• Reasons and causes for difficulty getting pregnant
• how to solve infertility

What is infertility

Infertility is when healthy men and women who want to conceive cannot conceive after unprotected intercourse for more than a year . Infertility is a familiar problem, as it is said that one out of ten couples suffers from infertility.

It is known that the reproductive function of both men and women declines with age, and the tendency to marry later and the age at which one wishes to conceive is increasing, which may be an unavoidable problem for couples who cannot have children. .

What are the characteristics of infertile couples?

What are the reasons and causes of difficulty getting pregnant

There are various reasons and causes that make it difficult to conceive, but there are cases where a number of factors overlap in the background of couples who cannot have children. For example, let's take a look at some of the possible factors that make it difficult to conceive, such as age, physical problems, and lifestyle.

age factor

One of the factors that make it difficult to conceive is the age of men and women .

Although there are individual differences, it is known that men's sperm quality begins to decline around the age of 35-40, and that semen volume, sperm morphology, and motility change with age, increasing the risk of infertility1).

Women's fertility peaks in their late 20s. After the peak, the chances of getting pregnant gradually decline, and after age 35, the pace accelerates2). In addition, the risk of uterine fibroids and endometriosis increases, so caution is required after the age of 35.

physical factors

In addition to age, physical factors also play a role in the difficulty of conceiving .

If you have uterine abnormalities such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, or uterine fibroids, your risk of infertility increases. Endometriosis and adenomyosis are often seen in people with heavy menstrual pain, and there are also abnormalities that can be noticed depending on the state of menstruation, such as increased menstrual flow in uterine fibroids.

In addition, coldness, which is often seen in women, can be said to be a difficult condition to deliver sufficient hormones and nutrients to the whole body due to stagnation of blood flow. As a result, it is possible that ovulation does not occur easily and the endometrium does not thicken.

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Lifestyle and stress factors

Lifestyle is also closely related to pregnancy .

Smoking in women is a cause of deterioration of ovarian function and aging of eggs due to deterioration of blood flow. Fertilization and implantation rates are low in aged oocytes, and smoking in men is known to cause DNA damage and a decline in semen quality 3).

In addition, there is no problem with moderate drinking, but excessive drinking reduces sperm count and deteriorates sperm quality, so those who want to get pregnant should be careful.

Lack of exercise and stress can also affect hormone balance, making it difficult to conceive. Exercise improves blood circulation and relieves stress.

Infrequent sex between husband and wife

Even if there are no age or health problems, if the number of sexual intercourse between couples is low, the chances of conceiving are low . It's not that you can't conceive at all, but the more often you have sex, the higher your chances of getting pregnant, and if you have less sex, it's important to accurately identify your fertile window4).

However, if you increase the number of sexual acts or adjust the timing of sexual acts, you will feel that it is your duty to have children, which can lead to physical and mental burdens.

[By type] How to solve infertility

We have introduced the characteristics of couples who are unable to have children and the factors that make it difficult to conceive. What are some ways to solve infertility?

Let's take a look at how to solve the problems of those who want to conceive, such as couples who are elderly, physically anxious, and couples who have infrequent sexual activity.

[Elderly couples and those with physical concerns] Go to the hospital early

Elderly couples and those with physical concerns such as menstrual irregularities are advised to see a doctor as soon as possible. The reason why early consultation is desirable is that the aging of the body cannot be stopped by any means .

If you have problems with your uterus or ovaries, such as irregular or abnormal menstruation, it may be difficult to conceive without the necessary treatment. Considering the possibility of regretting later in life that you shouldn't have postponed treatment, it's better to deal with it early.

[Frequent couples] Increase the number of times you have sex

Start by increasing the number of times you have sex. You cannot get pregnant without having sex.
Having more sex will increase your chances of getting pregnant.

Even in fertility treatment, the timing method may be recommended at first. This is a method of increasing the probability of conception by having sex around the time of ovulation when the probability of conception is high.

However, knowing the official date and timing of ovulation can be difficult unless ovulation has been confirmed by a doctor. Timing is important because it is sometimes difficult to know when you are ovulating, but increasing the number of times you have sex itself may lead to pregnancy, so couples who do not have much sex should try increasing the number of times they have sex. let's

[All women who are trying to get pregnant] Change your lifestyle and adjust your hormones

It is very important to review your lifestyle to create a body that is easy to conceive . In addition to restricting smoking and excessive drinking, eating a well-balanced diet and moderate exercise help improve blood flow throughout the body and deliver nutrients throughout the body.

However, although you are positively working on your pregnancy, there are actually things that you are worried about.

for example,

• severe menstrual pain
• have nonmenstrual bleeding
• Worried about ovulation, etc.

Even if you have something to worry about, there are many people who do not decide to go to the hospital or postpone it until later.

For those who are putting off going to the hospital, we recommend the canvas hormone testing service. With canvas, you can measure ovarian function, the number of remaining eggs, and hormones related to thyroid function. The interpretation and advice of test results are developed under the guidance of doctors and specialists, and if it is better to visit a hospital, it is possible to introduce a clinic that is affiliated.

summary

Infertility is a familiar problem that affects about one out of ten couples. Changing your lifestyle may lead to pregnancy, but early improvement is important if you have age-related or physical problems.

Infertility can be caused by multiple factors, not just one. Listening to the opinions of experts, such as visiting medical institutions and other support, is also effective in creating a body that is easy to conceive. Let's work on pregnancy while discussing and caring with couples.

References

1) Mourad Assidi: Infertility in Men: Advances towards a Comprehensive and Integrative Strategy for Precision Theranostics, 2022 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9139678/#B44-cells-11-01711

2) Natalia Llarena: Reproductive Longevity and Aging: Geroscience Approaches to Maintain Long-Term Ovarian Fitness, 2020 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8361335/

3) Fen Yanget. al: Couple's infertility in relation to male smoking in a Chinese rural area, 2016 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5427786/

4) Shoko Konishi. al: Coital Frequency and the Probability of Pregnancy in Couples Trying to Conceive Their First Child: A Prospective Cohort Study in Japan, 2020 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7399901 /