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Fertility

Pregnancy and birth can be a complicated time for a woman and her body.

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Fertility & Infertility Causes & Symptoms How We Can Help

Fertility & Infertility

Pregnancy and birth can be a complicated time for a woman and her body.

The ChristianaCare Center for Reproductive Health can support women during this time and offer treatments tailored to each woman’s needs.

What is Infertility?

Infertility is a problem of the reproductive system. It affects the body’s ability to reproduce. It could be caused by a problem with the man’s system, the woman’s system, or both. For a pregnancy, the following must happen:

The man must make healthy sperm.
The woman must make healthy eggs.
The fallopian tubes must be open to let the sperm reach the egg.
The sperm must be able to fertilize the egg.
The fertilized egg must be implanted in the uterus.
The embryo must be healthy.

If you think you are not able to get pregnant, see your healthcare provider early. The age of the woman and how long the couple has been trying to get pregnant may affect treatment.

Causes and Symptoms

Many things can cause infertility

It can be a problem in the female reproductive system, the male reproductive system, or a mix of the two.

These are some examples of how female factors can affect infertility:

Ovulation problems.
Anatomical problems.
Endometriosis.
Congenital disabilities.
Infection.
Immune system problems.

What are the symptoms of infertility?

A couple is believed infertile if conception does not happen:

After one year of unprotected sex.
After 6 months in women over age 35.
If there are known problems causing infertility.

Types of Treatment for Women

ChristianaCare can offer various forms of treatment to women with fertility struggles. These include:

Intrauterine insemination – This method uses a small flexible tube called a catheter to place specially washed and prepared sperm directly into the uterus.
Ovulation medicine – These medicines help regulate the timing of ovulation.
Surgery – Surgery may be used to treat or repair a condition such as blocked fallopian tubes or endometriosis.
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) – For some couples, more extensive treatment is needed.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) – This involves removing a woman’s eggs and fertilizing them in the lab with sperm.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) – In this procedure, a single sperm is injected directly into an egg.
Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) – This involves using a fiber-optic instrument called a laparoscope to guide the transfer of unfertilized eggs and sperm into the woman’s fallopian tubes.
Zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) – This involves fertilizing a woman’s eggs in the lab.
Donor eggs – This involves transferring an embryo from a donor to an infertile woman.
Embryo cryopreservation – In this method, the embryos are frozen for transfer at a later date.