| Having a baby is one of the most beautiful | | | | Schedule a check-up with your gynecologist to find |
| experiences of a woman's life, but some women | | | | out what's causing your menstrual cramps and if your |
| have to contend with fertility problems before they | | | | fertility is affected in any way. |
| enter motherhood. It's important to be aware of | | | | Unhealthy weight |
| these signs of infertility so you can seek early | | | | Being underweight or overweight can contribute to |
| treatment. Take note that some conditions that | | | | fertility problems. Women who are underweight may |
| cause infertility have no obvious symptoms. Once | | | | not have enough nutrients to support a pregnancy. |
| you decide you are ready to conceive, schedule a | | | | Those who are overweight may suffer from a |
| prenatal checkup with your gynecologist to test for | | | | hormonal imbalance, which can cause anovulation (lack |
| underlying reproductive problems that can affect | | | | of ovulation) and other negative effects on the |
| your chances of getting pregnant. | | | | reproductive system. Being overweight may actually |
| Irregular menstrual cycles | | | | be caused by PCOS, especially if you seem to have |
| Although it's common for a woman to miss her | | | | trouble losing weight no matter how hard you diet or |
| period every now and then, a consistently irregular | | | | exercise. If your doctor diagnosed you with PCOS, |
| menstrual cycle is the most common sign of fertility | | | | treating this will also help you lose weight and boost |
| problems in women. It could also suggest an | | | | your overall fertility. |
| underlying condition that may not necessarily lead to | | | | Age |
| infertility. You may have been told that a "regular" | | | | Whether your reproductive system is healthy or not, |
| period happens like clockwork every 28 days, but the | | | | a woman's fertility naturally declines after age 30. |
| length of every woman's cycle varies depending on | | | | The main reason for this is the finite number of eggs |
| her hormones and environment. To find out if your | | | | in the ovaries and the ovaries' failure to respond to |
| menstrual cycle is regular, keep a calendar and count | | | | the follicle stimulating hormones, the hormones that |
| the number of days in your cycle, starting from day | | | | release an egg once every menstrual cycle. As a |
| one of your period until the day before your next | | | | woman ages, her body finds it more and more |
| period. If the number of days is roughly the same, | | | | difficult to release an egg. This doesn't mean that |
| then you have a regular period. | | | | getting pregnant after 30 is impossible; it just means |
| An irregular menstrual cycle is when you miss a | | | | that a woman in her 30s will encounter more fertility |
| period, when you experience a continuous period, | | | | problems than a woman in her 20s. Eating nutritious |
| experience two periods in one cycle, or have no | | | | foods and adapting a healthy lifestyle can boost your |
| periods at all. As mentioned earlier, the occasional | | | | fertility naturally, and so will quitting habits like |
| missed period is normal, but highly irregular periods will | | | | smoking and drinking. But if you can't wait to become |
| make conceiving difficult because you cannot predict | | | | a mother, talk to your doctor about artificial |
| when your most fertile days will happen. Irregular | | | | reproductive technologies and your chances of |
| periods can also signify disorders like polycystic | | | | success. |
| ovarian syndrome (PCOS), uterine tumors, | | | | Recurrent miscarriages |
| anovulation, or endometriosis, which can be | | | | Although infertility is defined as the inability to get |
| detrimental to fertility. | | | | pregnant, frequent miscarriages also count as a |
| Severe menstrual cramps | | | | fertility problem. If you have had three consecutive |
| Menstrual cramps make periods rather uncomfortable, | | | | miscarriages in the past, talk to your doctor and find |
| but they should never be painful enough to keep you | | | | out what's causing this. Most physical causes of |
| in bed for the rest of the day. If your menstrual | | | | miscarriages like a weak cervix can be corrected with |
| cramps just started recently, you may be | | | | surgery. The good news is that even women with |
| experiencing a hormonal change or infection. Either | | | | recurrent miscarriages have a 75% chance of giving |
| way, this may interfere with your chances of | | | | birth to a healthy baby over the next ten years. But |
| conceiving. Severe menstrual cramps are also a | | | | if a physical defect is the cause, you will likely keep |
| symptom of PCOS, uterine tumors, or endometriosis. | | | | on miscarrying until you have it treated. |