Can Infertility Cause Miscarriage?

One of the most difficult things about having to deal with a pregnancy loss is knowing what might have caused it. Instead of being able to focus on the positive memories surrounding your pregnancy, you must now spend your time trying to understand what could’ve gone wrong.

Could an underlying medical condition have played a role? Was there something you did that led to this miscarriage?

So in this article, we would acknowledge how infertility can cause miscarriage.

What is Infertility?

Infertility is the condition where a woman cannot get pregnant or carry her pregnancy to term. It is usually defined in terms of the ability to produce a viable egg each month, but it can also be seen as the inability of a woman to maintain a pregnancy without medical interventions.

Infertility affects about 10% of women who are sexually active and about 20% of women overall. Miscarriages happen when there is an interruption in the development of a developing fetus before it becomes viable.

This can happen when the mother experiences medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity that may cause significant problems during implantation or pregnancy.

In some cases, it is unclear what caused the miscarriage.

It could have been caused by any number of things including:

  • Incomplete fertilization
  • Uterine abnormalities
  • Lack of oxygen supply to the fetus
  • Obesity
  • Abnormalities in chromosomes
  • Genetic disorders
  • Stressful events

Causes of Infertility in Women

Pregnancy loss is one of the leading causes of infertility. This can be caused by a variety of factors that may or may not be related to a woman’s ovaries.

For example, if you have an underlying medical condition such as endometriosis, there’s a higher likelihood that you will experience pregnancy loss.

If you have a history of miscarriages, it’s also possible that your next pregnancy will also end in miscarriage.

Additionally, having certain infections or taking certain medications during your pregnancy can cause pregnancy loss.

Risk Factors for Infertility in Women

Infertility is a common issue for women, and it’s one of the risk factors for miscarriage.

Infertility is defined as when a couple has been trying to conceive for more than 12 months with no success and they do not want to stop trying. Some of the causes of infertility are hormonal problems, medical conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis that can cause endometrial scarring, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), overactive thyroid, pituitary gland disorders, or uterine abnormalities.

But there are other risk factors that may increase your chances of experiencing a pregnancy loss even if you don’t have any of those conditions. These risk factors include smoking, stress, age and having high blood pressure or diabetes mellitus type 2.

You might be thinking “I don’t smoke so I’m not at risk.” While smoking doesn’t directly affect your fertility directly, it does increase the risks associated with other issues such as premature delivery and poor fetal development, which increases the risks of miscarriage.

In addition to these factors, stress may also increase the risks of miscarriage because it can lead to elevated levels of cortisol in your body which can negatively impact your developing fetus.

Can Infertility Cause Miscarriage?

The short is yes infertility can cause miscarriages.

But how?

There are many reasons why infertility can cause a miscarriage.

One of the most common is that if the woman has been trying to get pregnant for a long time, she may not have had enough time to create an optimal environment in her body for the embryo to grow.

This also happens when women have trouble conceiving because they may have blocked fallopian tubes or other fertility issues.

In these cases, it could be difficult for the sperm and egg to meet each other, so even though there is plenty of room in the uterus, it might still be full of fluid and not able to hold on to an embryo.

In addition, there are certain medicines that can block the implantation of an embryo in the uterus and make it more likely to miscarry.

Winding Up

If you are experiencing a miscarriage, it is important to understand what causes this type of pregnancy loss. Although the cause of miscarriage is not always known, there are a number of things one must take care of.

However, if you are looking for infertility treatments then Fertcity Fertility Clinics is there for you. We are the pioneer among infertility treatment clinics, equipped with cutting-edge IVF labs, and talented infertility specialists

Smoking And Fertility: Effects Of Smoking On Male & Female Fertility

Smoking And Fertility: Effects Of Smoking On Male & Female Fertility

Getting pregnant is becoming harder these days and this is only because of the lifestyle people are getting habitual to. Can smoking affects fertility hurt your sperm? Yes. Can smoking hurt the lining of the womb? Totally.

It has been found by numerous studies that if the partner or both of the couples smoke regularly, there is a high chance that it will take longer for the female to get pregnant. However, non-smokers on the other hand experience quick pregnancy without any problems, assuming they maintain a healthy lifestyle.

If we look at a study carried out by C Augood, K Duckitt, and A A Templeton, they found that “The high prevalence of smoking among women in their reproductive years continues to be a matter of concern. The negative effects of smoking on general health are well known, but smoking may also affect fertility.”

Male smoking has been linked to lower IVF success rates and possibly higher miscarriage rates. The female partner’s fertility can also be negatively affected by passive smoking. Let’s take a look at how smoking affects the fertility of both males and females.

Smoking’s Effect on Sperm and Semen Quality

Smoking has been linked to sperm DNA damage, according to research. Some evidence also suggests that men who produce high levels of sperms with DNA damage are less likely to be fertile and more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction.

Related: How You Can Read a Sperm Analysis Report in an Easy Way?

Our male infertility doctors also claim that men who smoke suffer from a 23% decrease in sperm concentration. For the uninformed, sperm concentration is the quantity of sperm found in a measured quantity of semen.

Impact Of Smoking On Female Fertility

Smoking causes problems like blocked fallopian tubes and ectopic pregnancy in females.

Smoking also harms the developing ovaries causing unhealthy implantation and resulting in miscarriage. Not only this, it can put you to risk of cervical cancer.

It is important to note that babies of non-smokers are healthier than babies of couples who smoke. As it has been found that partners who smoke bring their children at risk of having more congenital defects.

How long does it take for male and female fertility to improve after quitting smoking?

Generally, it takes 3 months for fertility to improve in both men and women after quitting smoking. However, the recovery of ovarian reserve in females and the quality of sperms in males depend from person to person.

Furthermore, quitting the habit of smoking not only improves the chances of natural conception but also enhances the chances of IVF success if you are undergoing an IVF treatment.

Common Myths And Facts About Smoking And Infertility

Some people think that after they will get pregnant they will quit smoking for their child’s betterment.

However, what they don’t know is that it is better to quit smoking as soon as you plan your pregnancy. But why? The reason is that 70% of smokers are more likely to suffer from infertility, on the other hand, the 30% who get pregnant carry their unborn child at risk of birth abnormalities.

Related: Things to consider before starting your IVF Journey

If you are reading this then there is a high probability that might think that “Okay, I’ll leave smoking but I can try Vape as an alternative as it is safe.”

The answer is, No. Vaping or any kind of e-cigarettes are not safe as they contain the same amounts of harmful chemicals that make you an addict and can harm your gametes quality.

Effects Of Smoking On Your Newborn Baby

Premature birth or developmental issues in the baby can occur in some cases even after discontinuing smoking if a woman has been a regular smoker for a long time. There is strong evidence to suggest that men whose mothers smoked during pregnancy or were smokers have low sperm counts.

When it comes to medical issues like obesity and cardiovascular disease in children, the odds are stacked against them. SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) is also common in children whose parents smoke.

Final Word From Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

If you ask us, “I may already be pregnant so is it too late to quit?” Then here is what our doctors recommend.

No, you are not too late to kick the habit off. Always remember that it’s never too late to start.

Every additional day that your baby is not exposed to the toxins in cigarette smoke will have a significant positive impact on your health during and after your pregnancy.

So stop smoking right now and experience the parenthood you always dreamt of.

Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics, one of the best IVF centres in Delhi, provides infertility therapy for both men and women, and we can help you get pregnant.

If you want to get pregnant, it’s best if you first quit smoking. You may also rely on our most distinguished IVF and fertility professionals to help you out in any case. 

Questions From A Couple On Their First Visit To An Infertility Specialist

What is the problem with us, why are we not able to conceive?

The female as well male partners both need to be assessed for the potential problems. First of all, history is taken which focuses on the duration of the marriage and since when the couple was trying to conceive. The menstrual history is taken to assess whether the female is normally forming and releasing one egg per cycle. The past medical/ surgical history or family history such as tuberculosis, diabetes, hypertension is assessed. Also, previous treatment records are reviewed and documented. Some initial blood tests are done to know the general health of the patient. The male partner is advised to take a semen examination which includes sperm count, motility, and percentage of normal-shaped sperms. A baseline ultrasound of the female partner is done in the clinic to assess her ovaries and uterus.

What will be the next step and how are we going to proceed?

Based on the initial history and examination, the problems are identified in both partners. Depending on the problems, thorough counseling is done and step by step treatment plans are made.

When the problem is at the formation of an egg i.e. ovulation, then the drugs for ovulation are given to a woman and timed intercourse or IUI( Intrauterine Insemination ) at the time of egg rupture is offered. Similarly in patients where semen parameters are subnormal then IUI (separating and putting one of the healthiest sperm in the womb) is offered. Before IUI, a sonosalpingogram test is done routinely without anesthesia. It is a test to know whether the tubes are open or not.

4-5 cycles of ovulation induction and IUI can be offered to the patient depending upon the age and other factors. If the number of eggs is less in the ovary then treatment should be at the earliest and thus, IVF is offered. If both the tubes are blocked then, IVF is the only solution.

What is IUI? How is it done?

It is a technique where semen is prepared, concentrated and put inside the womb at the time of egg release. It has the advantage of directly putting sperms that are good in number and highly motile closer to the egg. It is an office procedure and is done without any anesthesia. There is no cut or pain involved. The patient needs to rest for 15 minutes and can carry out her daily routine.

How many cycles can I try for IUI?

The chances of conceiving are maximum within the first 4 cycles of IUI. However, a maximum of 6 cycles can be done depending upon the age and ovarian reserve of the patient.

What are the chances of us getting a baby?

In IUI chances are between 10-15% per cycle. In IVF, there is a chance of 40-45% per cycle .

What is IVF & ICSI? How is it done?

IVF is the technique where drugs are given to the female partner to produce many eggs. The eggs are then collected through the vagina. The procedure is called ovum pick up and it is done under general anesthesia. This procedure requires no cuts or stitches. The eggs are then mixed with the sperm to make babies. When the eggs are incubated with semen in a Petri dish then fertilization takes on its own, this procedure is known as IVF( In vitro fertilization). However, when one sperm is injected inside each egg then it is known as ICSI ( Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection). The embryos are kept in an incubator and transferred into the womb on day 3 or day 5 depending upon the number and quality of the embryos.

What is the duration of the treatment?

The stimulation of the female takes 9-10 days. It starts from day 1 or day 2 of the cycle. Then the ovum pick-up occurs 34-36 hours after which the final injection is given to mature the eggs. The embryo transfer occurs from day 2 to day 5 after the pick-up. So the whole process takes around 12-15 days. Sometimes, when the female produces a large number of eggs, especially in the case of polycystic ovaries, then the embryos are frozen and transferred into another cycle, and it is known as the Frozen embryo transfer cycle.

What precautions do we need to take before starting the treatment?

The female is advised to take a healthy diet with regular exercise. Good sleep, yoga/meditation helps to relax oneself. Smoking and alcohol should be avoided.

How is the embryo transfer done?

It is a simple procedure without anesthesia. The woman is asked to come with a full bladder and with the help of abdominal scan guidance, the embryos are placed inside the uterine cavity in the right place. It is a painless procedure and one can go home or work after the procedure.

What are precautions after the embryo transfer?

Constipation should be avoided by drinking plenty of fluids and having a good diet rich in roughage. Rigorous exercises like lifting heavy weights should be avoided. The medicines and injections on the prescription should be taken diligently.

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to us, our fertility experts at Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics will be glad to help you.

We are one of the best IVF centres in South Delhi and have helped thousands of couples to build a happy family. You can be the next!