What is infertility?

Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on November 27, 2024
00:00
00:00

If a couple has been married for a year without using contraception, are not living separately, and have not conceived, or if there has been a history of abortion and no conception has occurred within six months of unprotected sexual activity, then this is considered infertility. Infertility can be due to female factors or male factors, with male infertility also accounting for a significant proportion. Male investigations are relatively simple, non-invasive, and also less expensive, so it is generally advisable to first conduct male tests, followed by female assessments, such as endocrine function, ovulation, uterine lining, fallopian tube examinations, or various biochemical tests, etc.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
1min 9sec home-news-image

What are the routine examinations for infertility?

Infertility examinations typically include physical exams and special tests. Physical exams mainly involve checking the development of internal and external reproductive organs and secondary sexual characteristics. Special tests can include examining the quality of male semen, endocrine conditions, and anti-sperm antibodies. Additional procedures can include scrotal ultrasound, prostate ultrasound, prostate massage fluid analysis, and monitoring of the spermatic veins with ultrasound to check for varicoceles. For females, it is important to check for any underlying diseases and ensure normal development of the uterus, ovaries, and adnexa. Examinations should also check for uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, and endometriomas, and assess for any abnormalities in the reproductive tract. Monitoring ovulation is also crucial to identify any abnormalities in ovulation. If ovulation is normal, the patency of the fallopian tubes should be checked, which can be done through a fallopian tube iodine contrast imaging procedure.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Wei Wei
Integrative Medicine
42sec home-news-image

Which department should I go to for infertility treatment?

For infertility issues, one should first visit a formal hospital. At the hospital, men can choose to see either a traditional Chinese medicine andrologist or a Western medicine andrologist, while women can opt to visit a traditional Chinese medicine infertility specialist, or a gynecology or obstetrics department. After consulting these departments, doctors will conduct various tests to identify and rule out causes of infertility. Then, based on the test results, they will administer targeted treatments or interventions. This approach helps infertility patients to conceive as soon as possible.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
1min 32sec home-news-image

What should an infertile man check?

The definitive diagnosis of male infertility requires determination based on professional examination procedures. Common examinations include the following: First, it is crucial to conduct a medical history interview. The patient should actively cooperate and honestly report their conditions, such as whether they have had mumps, any unsafe sexual behaviors, and what their occupation is. Second, a physical examination, including a general body and reproductive organ examination, is necessary. Special attention should be given to the patient's developmental, nutritional, and mental status, with a focus on the development of the reproductive organs. Third, laboratory tests. The most common is semen analysis. Other tests may be selected based on specific conditions, such as X-ray examinations to determine the location of any blockage in the vas deferens. Techniques such as vasography, epididymography, vas deferens and seminal vesicle radiography, or urethrography can be used. Testicular exams are also performed to assess the condition of the testicles. Additionally, immunological tests, including sperm agglutination and immobilization tests, are used to detect sperm agglutination antibodies or immobilization antibodies in serum or seminal plasma, which help assess the immune status.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Shen Li Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1min 4sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of infertility?

There are many causes of infertility, so depending on different reasons, the clinical manifestations also vary. For instance, some women suffer from infertility due to abnormal ovulation, which could manifest as abnormalities in the menstrual cycle such as prolonged absence of menstruation, like in polycystic ovary syndrome, or irregular vaginal bleeding. Some women have uterine factors that cause infertility, such as common post-multiple intrauterine operations leading to intrauterine adhesions, where a woman might experience reduced menstrual flow or even amenorrhea, accompanied by painful menstruation. Additionally, infertility in some women might be due to cervical factors, possibly presenting with thick vaginal discharge, contact bleeding, or blood-tinged discharge. Partially, some women might have ovarian endometriomas, which can cause severe painful menstruation and increased menstrual volume, among other symptoms.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
45sec home-news-image

Does abortion pills cause infertility?

In clinical practice, there are many types of abortion drugs. Their primary purpose is to kill the embryo or fetus and then promote uterine contractions to expel the fetus from the uterus. From the perspective of the drugs alone, abortion drugs do not cause infertility because the drugs are metabolized quickly. However, if abortions are performed repeatedly multiple times, this may potentially lead to infertility. The cause of infertility in such cases is not related to the drugs but due to the repeated abortions, which could affect the woman's endometrium, cervix, and fallopian tubes. Therefore, it is advisable for women to minimize unnecessary abortions to reduce the risk of infertility caused by the abortions.