By Marilyn Olson
Herald News
Joliet -- Infertility is a problem that affects five
million people in the United States, or about 10 percent of reproductive
age people. The inability to conceive children can be devastating
for a couple, but with new treatment options, many infertile couples can
have children and complete their family, according to Dr. Marek Piekos
of Reproductive Health Specialists of Joliet
"Infertility is a disease of the reproductive
system which interferes with the conception of children," Dr.
Piekos says. "If a couple has tried to get pregnant for a
year with unprotected intercourse, they are said to be infertile."
"Infertility may be caused by numerous conditions
or diseases, and diagnosis is important and complex. Dr. Piekos
says when evaluating the couple, he finds the problem is distributed
equally between males and females. "Fifty percent of
infertility may be attributed to the female, 50 percent to the
male," the doctor said. "One third of infertility is
caused by a combination of problems, and 20 percent is
unexplained."
Most common disorders of the female which cause
infertility which cause infertility are disorders of ovulation, blocked
fallopian tubes, which may be caused by endometriosis, development
disorders of the uterus, and fibroid tumors of the uterus.
Treatment of infertility in the male focuses on
semen. Infertile men may produce no sperm, or few sperm.
Their sperm may also be malformed, or die before they reach the woman's
egg to fertilize it. "In rare cases male infertility is
caused by disease, such as cystic fibrosis, or chromosomal
abnormalities," Dr. Piekos said.
Scarring of the fallopian tubes by infectious disease
may lead to blockage of the tubes. Therefore, it is important to
treat infection before scaring occurs.
"Diagnosis may be difficult, and infertility may
be caused by a number of factors," said Dr. Piekos.
To diagnose infertility the physician will begin with
a physical exam. Both partners are interviewed together.
More specific tests may be done, such as measuring the woman's basal
body temperature, and x-ray examination of the uterus and fallopian
tubes, and laparascopy, a surgical technique that allows the surgeon to
view the pelvic organs.
"Ninety percent of cases are treated with
conventional therapies, including drugs and surgery," Dr. Piekos
says. "But for those that do not respond to conventional
therapy, new hope is offered through techniques such as in vitro
fertilization. If a couple has low sperm count or blocked
fallopian tubes, in vitro fertilization, which was first done in 1981,
offers a chance for many couples to have a family."
Couples are urged to seek help as soon as possible,
because with many couples waiting until later in life to start a family,
fertility decreases with age. "The longer you wait, the fewer
chances you have to become pregnant," Dr. Piekos says.
"Fertility decreases after 35 years old, and the chance of birth
defects increases. The chance of becoming pregnant under 30 years
old with unprotected intercourse is 20 percent. Once you are over
40, that chance decreases to only five percent."
Several factors explain the change in fertility.
The woman experiences changes in ovarian functions as she ages, and
certain health conditions may also affect fertility. There is also
a change in the way the ovaries release eggs after age 35.
The chances of getting pregnant decrease with
age, but
with advances in diagnosis and treatment, much can be done to help
infertile couples conceive," Dr. Piekos says. "But the
sooner you get help, the better."
Dr. Piekos also says no one can be blamed for
infertility. "There is no blame for infertility, any more
than you can be blamed for diabetes or heart disease."
Fully Accredited by the
College of American Pathologists (CAP)
& the
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