Women may sometimes suffer from delayed pregnancy or absence of pregnancy without knowing the causes! This may affect them negatively psychologically and cause a lot of stress between couples. It is important to always visit your doctor in cases like these so at least a differential diagnosis of several causes can be investigated and if necessary treated.
Why a woman can’t get pregnant?
If women are healthy and in their most fertile years, there is a 20% chance every month for her to get pregnant noting that there is regular intercourse, and the male partner is healthy and has no factors that could decrease their fertility. However, there are. several reasons why a woman can’t get pregnant.
Natural reasons why a woman can’t get pregnant
Even though your menstrual cycle is regular, several daily activities can affect your chances of getting pregnant which are:
Timing sexual intercourse only on days of ovulation
Some couples when trying to conceive lose the fun in their sex lives. They get so lost in focusing on their most fertile days and spend days monitoring the female body temperature or urinating on sticks to figure out when exactly ovulation takes place so they can have sex. This, however, can contribute to stress between the couple and unpleasurable sex or when the time is right a lack of erection in the male partner. The best way for couples trying to conceive to have sexual intercourse is on a regular basis of about 2-3 times a week.
Lack of sexual intercourse or wrong timing
Withholding of intercourse to maintain sperm quality or have sexual intercourse only during ovulation is not the best method to practice when trying to conceive. Frequent intercourse does not affect sperm quality to the extent that it can be a reason for infertility, the female fertile period might be missed due to incorrect ovulation calculations. Frequent sexual intercourse of 2-3 times a week is advised when trying to conceive.
Stress and fatigue
Stress affects your physical and mental health, and your ability to get pregnant, reducing stress levels is important when trying to conceive. Psychological and psychiatric disorders such as depression, panic attacks and severe anxiety can reduce fertility levels, if you are trying to conceive visit your healthcare worker to advice you on how to reduce stress and if any possible medication you might be taking could harm your fertility.
Stress hinders the functions of the hypothalamus, which controls the pituitary gland responsible for regulating the adrenal gland, thyroid and ovaries, which are all factors that regulate a healthy monthly cycle.
Lack of sleep
Lack of sleep leads to fatigue and affects the immune system, women may suffer from menstrual problems and irregularities due to lack of sleep.
Excessive weight gain or less
Being underweight or overweight will also affect your chances of getting pregnant! When, undernourished, ovulation may be affected leading to irregular cycles! Being overweight may also affect your fertility negatively due to insulin resistance that might lead to anovulation or irregular ovulation. It is best to always maintain a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI correlates the body weight in kilograms to length in meters and gives a range as to what is considered a healthy suitable weight to a certain length.
Excessive use of certain lubricants in sexual activity
There are three types of lubricants that can be used to reduce friction or ease vaginal dryness that can lead to painful intercourse
- Oil based lubricant: baby oil, massage oil or coconut oil these lubricants are long lasting but can irritate the vagina
- Water based lubricant like KY jelly
- Silicone based lubricant
Several studies have shown that all the above lubricants to a certain extent affect sperm viability, motility and can cause DNA damage. Several lubricants have been developed to assure comfortable pain free intercourse without negatively impacting spermatozoa. These lubricants maintain the natural PH gradient of the seminal fluid to decrease negative lubrication side effects. Ask our doctors at Bedaya for these alternative lubricants and they will gladly advice you!
Unhealthy Lifestyle
Unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking, drinking, drug use, and excessive caffeine intake may decrease your fertility, and cause irregular ovulation.
Environmental pollution
Environmental toxins are known to harm female fertility, and exposure to pollutants such as chemicals, pesticides, cigarette smoke, plastics, food packaging and certain personal care products (soap, shampoo and cosmetics) may affect your health, particularly fertility.
Medical reasons why women can’t get pregnant
Irregular periods
Women who have irregular periods could experience more difficulty conceiving; irregular cycles indicate irregular ovulation which means when holding on to a schedule of intercourse on day 11-14 of the menstrual cycle you could completely be off. Regular intercourse 2-3 times a week gives best results for conception.
Ovulation problems
Approximately 20 to 40% of infertility problems in women are due to anovulation, which means the absence of ovulation and release of mature good quality oocytes (eggs) of which healthy embryos can develop after fertilization. Anovulation can be caused by hormonal problems such as PCO, excessive weight gain or loss, excessive exercising, or severe stress.
Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome (PCOS)
Is a complex condition that causes irregular or an-ovulation due to the precedence of a hormonal imbalance. Small multiple cysts form on the ovaries hindering follicle growth and maturation of oocytes.
Symptoms of PCOS are irregular menstruation, weight gain, acne and excess in hair growth on abdomen, neck and face.
Abnormalities or blockage of the fallopian tubes
Damaged or blocked fallopian tubes prevent the oocyte from reaching the uterus and sperm from reaching the oocyte thus preventing pregnancy. Fallopian tubes could be blocked due to birth defect of the reproductive system, infection caused by sexually transmitted diseases, pelvic inflammatory disease, surgical tubal ligation or scar tissue formation due to previous surgeries.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is in most patients a chronic/recurrent disease of the reproductive system where cells of the endometrial lining are present outside of the uterus forming “pockets” cysts that could affect ovulation, fallopian tubes and thus fertility.
This disease causes pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen that gets worse during the menstrual cycle, sometimes pain during penetration, painful bowel movements, frequent urination with the constant feeling that the bladder is full.
Problems in oocyte “egg” quantity and quality
Women are born with a certain number of follicles that decrease with age. Some women show a faster diminish of these oocytes than others some have a good quantity of oocytes with bad quality. These two issues can negatively affect female fertility and are hard to treat but our doctors at Bedaya Hospital have developed special protocols for such cases with positive results.
Medical causes of delayed pregnancy
Various other causes and sometimes several combined medical issues are the root of a delay in pregnancy! If after a year of regular intercourse 2-3 times a week without contraceptives pregnancy does not take place visit your fertility specialist.
Calculate your ovulation dates
We have mentioned that regular sexual intercourse of 2-3 times a week give the best results if seeking pregnancy. However, if you have regular cycles and would like to know when the best days are to have sexual intercourse to increase your chances, the best time to have intercourse are 72 hours prior to ovulation to one day post ovulation that is usually from day 11-15. You can also use our ovulation calculator.
