With the opening of the three-child policy, many families are actively preparing to welcome the arrival of new lives. However, some couples find it difficult to conceive a second child, which makes them feel confused and worried. This article will provide you with a detailed introduction to common factors affecting reproductive ability, hoping to help you better understand and deal with this issue.
First, let’s talk about tubal pelvic factors. According to statistics, these factors account for 30%-45% of infertility reasons. Conditions such as tubal epithelial damage and destruction caused by inflammation, as well as pelvic adhesions, can affect the normal function of the fallopian tubes, leading to infertility.
Secondly, ovulation disorders are also an important factor. It accounts for about 20%-40% of infertility reasons. For example, polycystic ovary syndrome, low levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, diminished ovarian reserve, premature ovarian failure, early ovarian aging, congenital gonadal dysgenesis, hyperprolactinemia, and luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome are common ovulation disorders.
Furthermore, endometriosis should not be overlooked. This condition accounts for 5%-15% of infertility reasons. Its complex pathogenesis includes pelvic adhesions, impacts on tubal function, changes in ovarian function, decreased ovarian reserve function, and also affects the receptivity of the endometrium, reducing embryo implantation rates.
In addition, uterine factors also affect reproductive ability. For instance, uterine malformations, uterine fibroids, endometrial polyps, uterine cavity inflammation, endometritis, and relatively mild factors affecting conception such as cervical factors are expected to each account for around 5%-10% of infertility reasons.
For males, sperm quality issues such as oligoasthenozoospermia and azoospermia, as well as sexual dysfunction, ejaculation disorders, paraplegia, etc., are also related to reproductive ability, accounting for approximately 30%-40% of infertility reasons respectively.
Lastly, age is also a key factor affecting reproductive ability. Regardless of gender, as age increases, reproductive ability gradually decreases. Especially for females, advancing age leads to diminished ovarian reserve function, increasing the difficulty of conception, raising the risk of miscarriage, decreasing live birth rates, and complications during pregnancy for older pregnant women also increase.
Under the influence of these factors, couples preparing for a second child are advised to monitor their physical health regularly, such as the condition of the ovaries, ovulation status, and sperm vitality. Compared to the time-consuming and tiring back and forth visits to the hospital, using home testing kits for self-assessment might be a faster and more convenient method.
