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Infertility Risk Factors for Women

Be proactive and learn the infertility risk factors for women

Our physicians at USC Fertility believe that it is important for patients to take initiative when it comes to their reproductive health. An important part of being proactive involves understanding infertility risk factors for women. If you feel most comfortable seeing a female fertility specialist in Los Angeles, our team includes women who are known worldwide for their expertise.

Infertility risk factors for women range from biological to environmental

Each female fertility specialist in Los Angeles and at USC Fertility knows that there are several infertility risk factors for women, and we advise our patients to take preventative measures to reduce the risk.

  • Age: Fertility declines with age. As a result, a woman in her late 30s is significantly less fertile than a woman in her early 20s. If you are 35 or older, you should visit a fertility specialist if you have been unable to get pregnant after trying for more than six months.
  • Being underweight or overweight: Having too much or too little body fat can cause problems with ovulation. Sometimes, simply losing or gaining as few as five to 10 pounds can resolve fertility issues.
  • Chronic diseases: Certain ailments and the medications used to treat these chronic diseases can impact a woman’s fertility. Some of these diseases include diabetes, hypertension, lupus and thyroid conditions.
  • Endometriosis: Women with this condition have uterine tissue growing outside of the uterus. While endometriosis can be symptomless, this disease can cause painful and heavy periods, painful intercourse. Endometriosis, regardless if it causes symptoms or not, can cause infertility.
  • Environmental and lifestyle factors: Exposure to toxins at work or at home can have a negative impact on a woman’s fertility. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol can also cause reproductive issues.
  • Hormonal imbalances: Some conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can produce hormonal imbalances that impact ovulation. Symptoms of a hormonal imbalance include periods longer than six days, cycles that are too short (24 days) or too long (35 days), irregular cycles, heavy periods, facial hair or acne.
  • Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): STDs are more easily transmitted to women and they can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Fertility complications of STDs include adhesions (scarring), blocked fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriages and uterine scarring.

USC Fertility has treatments to address infertility risk factors for women

If you have one or more of the above risk factors, the physicians at our Los Angeles fertility center can help. In some cases, our physicians may recommend lifestyle changes such as weight loss or smoking cessation. In other cases, they may prescribe treatments like minimally invasive surgery for endometriosis or fertility medications for PCOS. Regardless of your situation, our physicians take the time to find the right treatment for you.

Please contact us if you struggle with infertility and are looking for a female fertility specialist in Los Angeles. USC Fertility has been providing cutting-edge and compassionate fertility care for more than 30 years.