Common Problems in Female Reproduction
Two major issues associated with female reproduction are female infertility and ectopic pregnancy. Either of these problems could lead to severe physical and psychological stresses for females, as well as create dire medical complications that could end in death.
Female Infertility
The principal cause of female infertility is a blockage of the uterine tube that prevents sperm from gaining access to the ovulated egg and/or prevents a fertilized egg from reaching the uterus. A common cause of blockage is endometriosis. In this condition, endometrial cells inadvertently gain access to the lining of the uterine tube. These cells grow and respond to the cyclical hormones, yet do not have the mechanism by which to be removed each month. This results in a continued growth into the tube and eventual blockage of the tube by this misplaced tissue.
Another condition that can lead to tube blockage from the other end of the tube is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this condition, several follicles develop but are not ovulated and do not regress. Eventually, these cysts may rupture and eject cellular material and debris into the fallopian tube (not normally present in that amount), blocking the tube.
Uterine fibroids
Small, benign tumors called uterine fibroids are common in women, and in some cases they interfere with fertility by changing the shape of the uterus or blocking the fallopian tubes.
Ectopic Pregnancy
Even with open uterine tubes, there is no guarantee that a fertilized egg always makes it into the tube. In fact, many times these fertilized eggs remain in the abdominal cavity and attach to tissue other than inside of the uterus. This can be the outside of the uterine tube itself, in which case these are often referred to as tubal pregnancies. However, any tissue can be a target for the implanting embryo, which use enzymes to attach to anything. These are often discovered due to intense abdominal pain and may lead to removal of portions of the reproductive tract if too much damage has already been caused.
Yeast infection
While not every female will experience infertility or ectopic pregnancy, approximately 75 percent will be affected by yeast infections at some point in their lives. The yeast, Candida albicans, is an organism common to the female reproductive tract in small numbers. Thriving in the warm, moist environment of the vulva and vagina, something triggers the overgrowth of these organisms to cause the infection, which is characterized by vaginal itching and burning. The common method of treatment is either antifungal ointment or suppositories.