Causes of female infertility
1. Vaginal factors
Congenital factors such as vaginal atresia or vaginal septum cause obstruction or difficulty in sexual intercourse, thus affecting the entry of sperm into the female reproductive tract.
Inflammation of the vagina caused by mycobacteria, trichomonas, gonococcus, mycoplasma, chlamydia and other infections changes the biochemical environment of the vagina and reduces sperm vitality and viability, thus affecting conception.
2. Cervical factors
Cervical canal congenital abnormality, atresia or stenosis, polyp, erosion, tumor, adhesion, etc. can affect the passage of sperm; the presence of anti-sperm antibodies in cervical mucus is not conducive to sperm penetration through the cervical canal or completely makes sperm inactive.
3. Uterus factor
Congenital dysplasia or malformation such as no uterus, infantile uterus and solid uterus without cavity can affect female fertility. Uterine fibroids, endometriosis, endometrial inflammation, and uterine adhesions are all causes of infertility.
4. Fallopian tube factors
Long or narrow fallopian tubes, tubal inflammation causing lumen occlusion, fluid accumulation or adhesions can hinder the movement of sperm, eggs or fertilized eggs. Tubal disease can account for 25% of female infertility and is an important cause of infertility.
5. Ovarian factors
Ovarian insufficiency, luteal insufficiency, premature ovarian failure, polycystic ovary syndrome, ovarian tumors and other factors affecting follicle development or egg discharge can cause infertility.
6. Endocrine factors
Imperfect regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, manifested as anovulatory menstruation, amenorrhea or luteal dysfunction, are all possible causes of infertility.
Hyper- or hypothyroidism and hyper- or hypoadrenocorticism can also affect ovarian function and prevent ovulation.
7. Congenital factors
Severe congenital hypoplasia of the reproductive system, which is often associated with primary amenorrhea. Sex chromosomal abnormalities, such as Turner’s syndrome, true and false hermaphroditism, chromosomal abnormalities prone to habitual abortion, etc.
8. Systemic factors
Nutritional disorders, metabolic diseases, chronic wasting diseases, simple obesity, etc. Taking raw cotton seed oil, toxic chemicals, radiation exposure, microwave and other physical factors.
9. Psychoneurological factors
Plant nervous system dysfunction, psychosis, environmental amenorrhea, anorexia nervosa, pseudopregnancy, etc.
10. Others
Immunological infertility, blood group incompatibility (such as habitual abortion or stillbirth caused by Rh blood group or ABO hemolysis), etc.
Causes of male infertility
1. Abnormal semen
Absence of sperm, too little sperm or deformed sperm, low vitality, such as congenital testicular development disorder or serious lesions of testes and vas deferens, thus affecting conception.
Normal semen condenses into jelly soon after ejaculation and liquefies all over again within the next 15-30 minutes. If semen does not coagulate after ejaculation, or if liquefaction is abnormal, it can also cause infertility.
2. Sperm production disorders
Chromosomal abnormalities, cryptorchidism, congenital orchidrosis or bilateral testicular hypoplasia can cause infertility due to impaired spermatogenesis.
Localized testicular lesions, such as testicular tuberculosis, epididymitis, prepubertal mumps with orchitis, varicose veins of the spermatic cord, etc., will affect the ability to produce sperm.
3. Factors affecting the union of sperm and egg
The epididymis, vas deferens, ejaculatory ducts, urethra and external genitalia are all necessary pathways for semen discharge, and lesions in any of them can affect the combination of sperm and egg, resulting in infertility. For example, congenital penile deficiency, hypospadias, vas deferens obstruction, retrograde ejaculation, sexual intercourse difficulties, etc.
4. Endocrine disorders
Testicular insufficiency, primary or secondary hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, etc. can also cause infertility.
5. Other diseases
In addition to the many causes mentioned above, certain systemic diseases, severe malnutrition, frequent exposure to radiation, high-temperature operations, toxic drug effects, long-term use of crude cottonseed oil and the presence of sperm immune antibodies, etc., can cause infertility.