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Infertility

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Infertility Prevention (cont'd)

Your mother's use of DES when she was pregnant with you. Tell your health care professional so an x-ray can be performed to assess the size and shape of your uterus.
Hormonal imbalances that cause periods exceeding six days and cycles shorter than 24 days or more than 35 days apart; irregular, unpredictable cycles; or very heavy periods.
Multiple miscarriages (two or more early pregnancy losses).
Environmental factors, such as cigarette smoking or alcohol consumption and exposure to workplace hazards or toxins.
Age — even if your fertility does not seem at risk now, remember that fertility declines with age; a woman in her late 30s is about 30 percent less fertile than she was in her early 20s.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which occur at a rate of 12 million cases each year in the U.S. Some STDs don't cause symptoms at first but, if left untreated, can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) — an infection of the upper genital tract that may compromise fertility. Complications from STDs are more common in women, including subsequent scarring, adhesions, blocked fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage. Ultimately, infertility can be a consequence of STDs. To decrease this risk, using latex condoms during sex and have any unusual symptoms checked out and treated early — and make sure both partners are treated simultaneously.
Fallopian tube disease accounts for about 20 percent of infertility cases treated. If you are having trouble conceiving, or are worried about your future fertility, be sure to tell your health care professional if you have had pelvic pain, unusual vaginal discharge, bleeding or fever; pelvic surgery for ruptured appendix, ectopic pregnancy or ovarian cyst; have used an IUD for contraception; or have had two or more abortions.

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