Patient's question:
Not pregnant, I'm very worried about having infertility. I'm currently having very regular periods, but it's very painful when I get my period, and I need to take painkillers. Also, my sleep isn't very good.Doctor's answer:
Hello, the symptoms of female infertility include the following:1. Amenorrhea: Menstruation has not occurred by the age of 18; or after menstruation, there has been a continuous absence of menstruation for more than 6 months. Amenorrhea is a common cause of infertility. The latter can be classified into uterine, ovarian, pituitary, or hypothalamic types based on the affected area.
2. Dysmenorrhea: Pain during menstruation may occur when conditions such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine fibroids, uterine malformation, or abnormal uterine position exist.
3. Menstrual Disorders:
a. Changes in menstrual cycle: Menstruation may come earlier or later than usual.
b. Changes in menstrual flow: Excessive or insufficient bleeding.
c. Extended menstrual period: Common in luteal phase deficiency or endometrial inflammation.
4. Galactorrhea: Milk discharge from the breasts during non-lactating periods, either spontaneously or after squeezing, often suggests hypothalamic dysfunction, pituitary tumors, prolactinomas, primary hypothyroidism, chronic kidney failure, or may be caused by birth control pills or antihypertensive drugs like hydralazine. Galactorrhea is often accompanied by amenorrhea, leading to infertility.
5. Abnormal Vaginal Discharge: Increased vaginal discharge, yellow in color, with an odor, resembling curd or watery discharge, or accompanied by external genital itching or pain, may occur with conditions such as vaginitis, cervical erosion, endometritis, adnexitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, or sexually transmitted diseases. These conditions can also affect fertility to varying degrees.
6. Abdominal Pain: Chronic lower abdominal or bilateral dull pain, or lumbosacral pain, often occurs with pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine myitis, ovarianitis, endometriosis, or tumors of the uterus or ovaries.
7. Symptoms Before and After Menstruation: Some women experience periodic symptoms such as "breast tenderness before menstruation," "headache during menstruation," "diarrhea during menstruation," "edema during menstruation," "fever during menstruation," "oral candidiasis during menstruation," "facial acne before menstruation," "urticaria during menstruation," or "depression or irritability during menstruation." These symptoms are often caused by endocrine disorders and luteal dysfunction, which can lead to infertility.