The Importance of Tracking Side Effects of Infertility Treatments

When undergoing infertility treatments, you may notice some side effects can occur to the medication. Monitoring the occurrence of these side effects can be crucial to ensuring the health of individuals undergoing infertility treatments.

Infertility Causes

Infertility can occur in both sexes and be precipitated by several factors. Men experiencing conception difficulties could be afflicted with low sperm count or poor sperm quality. These conditions may be caused by numerous hormonal or health issues. In women, infertility struggles are often brought about by weakened, damaged or poorly functioning reproductive organs like the ovaries and uterus. These problems are usually the result of hormonal imbalances or some type of illness.

A doctor may identify the exact cause by subjecting the couple to thorough physical examinations. Malfunctioning reproductive systems are often diagnosed after the administration of blood tests, hormonal measurements and careful examination of vital sexual organs. It is worth noting that, in certain instances, no diagnosable malady will be found.

Specific Infertility Treatments

Healthcare professionals will recommend infertility treatments based upon the exact underlying cause of infertility. Therapeutic protocols will vary depending on certain issues like the precipitator’s severity, as well as the age and general health of the intended recipient. Infertility treatments that a medical professional might employ include the following:

Medications

In instances where the problem is precipitated by an ailment that responds to drugs, various medications could be prescribed. Examples include antibiotics for underlying reproductive tract infections, hormone therapy for those with hormonal imbalances or various preparations to remedy other infertility-causing ailments.

Surgery

When sperm production or egg health might be precipitated by blockages or damage to respective reproductive organs, surgery to correct such anomalies might prove successful.

Assisted Reproductive Technology

In severe instances of infertility, couples might choose to undergo procedures that aid the process of conception. In in-vitro fertilization (IVF), egg insemination occurs in a laboratory, after which the fertilized egg is positioned inside a woman’s uterus. Another option is intrauterine insemination (IUI), during which sperm samples are collected and inserted into a woman’s uterus. When a couple opts for gamete or zygote intrafallopian transfer (GIFT or ZIFT), fertilized eggs are placed into a woman’s fallopian tubes.

Natural Treatments

Individuals might combat infertility through the ingestion of natural substances containing hormone-balancing capabilities and other health-stimulating properties that could improve the odds of successful conception.

Potential Side Effects

Infertility treatments have the potential to elicit side effects. Specific health impacts will often be dictated by factors such as the treatment being employed, the recipient’s age, weight and general health and the treatment’s dosage and frequency. Specific treatments could precipitate their own sets of symptoms:

• Drugs– Fertility medications could precipitate a host of untoward symptoms, as they can affect almost any systemic region. Some common manifestations include headaches, digestive problems and hormonal imbalances. These drugs might also lead to multiple births (such as twins or triplets).
• Hormone Therapy – Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), especially for women receiving synthetic dosages of estrogen, could elicit more serious side effects such as blood clots, other cardiovascular problems and an increased risk for developing certain kinds of cancer.
• Surgery– Operations could result in scarring of reproductive organs and tissues, which might lead to blockages, making the insemination process more difficult. In other instances, post-surgical scarring could result in painful intercourse, which causes the individual to refrain from sexual contact.
• Technologically-Induced Infertility Treatments – Procedures like IVF and IUI might also increase the risk of multiple births.

The Importance of Monitoring Potential Side Effects

Symptoms can vary from individual to individual and include a wide array of physical manifestations affecting various bodily regions. In some cases, the symptoms could be routine and merely unpleasant, or they may subside over time. Unfortunately, however, certain manifestations could be severe and potentially cause permanent or life-threatening complications.

Healthcare professionals recommend patients undergoing infertility treatments to pay close attention to their bodies. Some changes signal a cause for concern: specific symptoms’ appearance immediately after commencing treatment, symptoms that are severe or interfere with a person’s ability to perform daily activities or unusual symptoms that are not considered typical for a given treatment.

Should any of the preceding issues arise, infertility treatment recipients are strongly encouraged to bring such concerns to the attention of their healthcare providers immediately. Delaying could precipitate or exacerbate serious medical issues or further threaten the persons’ chances of successfully conceiving.