"Genetically Alive"

Are you genetically dead?

If you haven’t given birth, yes you are. It simply points out that you haven’t passed on your genes—because you haven’t given birth.

For the millions who are no longer single, are sexually active, and are hoping for a child, being genetically alive is a problem. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, infertility affects around 6 million American couples.

For the gender which is known to be more caring and fonder of children, infertility is a major setback. In Biblical times, infertility connotes sin. Couples who do not have children are said to be “punished” by God. They were often spurned by society.

Times have become kinder. Today, thanks to medicine and technology, people have discovered more reasons than “divine punishment” for infertility. Infertility of women could be caused by structural abnormalities, hormonal imbalance, and other factors.

Some women are born with anatomical abnormalities or damaged reproductive organs. As much as 35 percent of barren women have blocked fallopian tubes. A malformed cervical canal and non-cancerous tumors and polyps in the uterus are also common.

Abnormal ovulation is likewise a frequent cause. Abnormal ovulation occurs when one or several hormones are not functioning. This leads to irregular ovulation, which usually means no egg is produced. This accounts for 25 percent of unfruitful women.

Illnesses of the endocrine system, such as thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, and polycystic ovarian syndrome also cause abnormal ovulation. Certain chemicals can affect hormonal levels and adversely affect fertility. Use of marijuana, for example, can shorten the menstrual cycle. And for smokers: cigarette smoking brings down some kinds of hormone production and can also deplete egg supply.

Other factors can also interfere. For instance, the cervical mucus (the fluid that protects the cervix and uterus from infection) may be too thick or chemically hostile to the sperm. A fertilized egg can also be stuck in the fallopian tube and result in an ectopic pregnancy.

More than 75 percent of infertility cases caused by hormonal problems can be treated using fertility drugs. One or more fertility drugs, such as clomiphene, human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG), and an injectable form of follicle-stimulating hormone, may be prescribed to treat ovulatory disorders.

For women, though, fertility drugs pose health problems in some women, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a potentially dangerous disorder in which the ovaries enlarge and fluid accumulates in the abdomen. Unless you like multiple babies, better avoid fertility drugs, since they can cause more than one egg to be released.

If all these don’t work, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) could help. Most known of these is in vitro fertilization (IVF). You’ll receive fertility drugs to produce multiple eggs. These are removed from you, taken to a laboratory, and mixed with semen in a petri dish. If an embryo is formed, it is transferred to your uterus, leading a normal pregnancy. Warning: multiple pregnancies usually result.

At this time of high-technology, even “divine punishments” could be solved.