Get To Know Infertility and Its Causes

Infertility can be caused by various factors, both in the male and female reproductive systems. The following are the causes of infertility in men and women.

Types of Infertility

Infertility consists of two types, namely:

1. Primary Infertility, when a couple has never had children or a pregnancy has never occurred. 
2. Secondary Infertility is when a couple already has a child but has difficulty getting pregnant and having another child.

Causes of infertility in men include:

• Blockage of the reproductive tract that causes failure to produce sperm. This blockage is generally caused by infection or injury.
• Hormonal disorders that can affect sperm production.
• Disorders of the testicles so that the testicles fail to produce sperm. Examples include varicocele or chemotherapy treatment.
• Poor sperm function and quality, such as abnormalities in shape (morphology) and movement (motility).
• Bad lifestyles such as smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, obesity, history of sexually transmitted infections can also affect sperm quality.

Causes of infertility in women include:

• Fallopian tube abnormalities such as blocked fallopian tubes
• Uterine disorders such as endometriosis
• Ovarian disorders such as ovulation disorders (polycystic ovary syndrome/ PCOS)
• Hormonal disorders 
• Age because the quality and quantity of egg cells will decrease with age.
• Bad lifestyles such as smoking, drinking alcohol, obesity, history of sexually transmitted infections.

Infertility Prevention

Although there are causes of infertility that cannot be avoided, such as abnormalities in the reproductive system, there are several things that can be done to prevent infertility, namely:

1. Live a healthy and nutritious diet
2. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol
3. Maintain ideal body weight
4. Don't change partners and have safe sexual relations
5. Avoid wearing tight trousers because they can affect sperm production
6. Regular exercise can improve sperm quality in men and improve the menstrual cycle in women
7. For married couples to have intimate relations regularly, especially during the fertile period

If you and your partner experience symptoms of infertility, then consult a doctor to get the right treatment. Having a baby is the dream of every married couple because children are a complement to the happiness of a marriage. Especially for a tribe that has a clan, of course having children, especially boys, is a necessity so that the bloodline can continue. However, not all couples can immediately be blessed with a child even though they have been married for years and have made various efforts to be able to have children. 

Infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive system characterized by failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. WHO states that an estimated one in every six people of reproductive age worldwide will experience infertility in their lifetime. Meanwhile, in Indonesia the incidence of infertility is around 10-15% or 4-6 million couples out of 39.8 million couples of childbearing age.