Q: What is a hormone imbalance?
Marla Ahlgrimm: Hormone imbalance is a broad term to describe any number of issues that can occur in the endocrine system. Many hormone imbalances, such as those relating to the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone, can reduce a woman’s chances of conception.
Q: Do men suffer with hormonal disorders?
Marla Ahlgrimm: Yes, issues with the testes, pituitary gland, and brain can all affect a man’s output of testosterone and sperm.
Q: How are hormone disorders treated?
Marla Ahlgrimm: Thanks to advances in medical technology over the last two decades, many hormone disorders can easily be treated with prescription medications. The most common is clomiphene citrate, marketed commercially as Clomid. Other drugs, including Metformin and letrozole, have also been used to increase the chances of proper ovulation.
Q: How common is infertility?
Marla Ahlgrimm: Approximately 12 million Americans are diagnosed with infertility each year. Of these, nearly 7 million are women experiencing hormonal disorders. Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after a period of 12 months or six months for women over the age of 35. In both men and women, fertility naturally declines with age. Women are about half as likely to conceive in their 30s as their 20s. Men’s fertility also declines with age, but at a much slower rate. Aside from hormone disorders, other factors that can affect the quality of sperm and eggs include unhealthy lifestyles, drug use, alcohol abuse, obesity, and diabetes. Both men and women can increase their chances of conception by following a healthy diet, maintaining an average BMI, and practicing safe sex in their early years of sexual activity as some STDs can affect future fertility.
