CRA Centro Riproduzione Assistita

CRA Centro Riproduzione Assistita

According to national and international guidelines a couple is defined as infertile after 12 months of unprotected relationships that did not lead to pregnancy.

Unfortunately, infertility is a growing phenomenon (according to some scholars, the first signs were recorded as early as 50 years ago) caused by various factors. The factors most often related to infertility are the advanced age of research of the first child (particularly relevant for women, but significant for some studies also for men), obesity or excessive thinness (both lead to hormonal imbalances and menstrual periods), alcohol abuse, smoking, sexual infections, metabolism disorders (eg diabetes or changes in thyroid function), drug use (including so-called doping, ie the use of anabolic steroids in sport but also for body building). Genetic factors such as thrombophilia and autoimmunity are also to be considered.

Women in Italy often arrive at a diagnosis of infertility too late. The average age of women who go to a PMA center (medically assisted procreation) is about 36 years.

It is important to emphasize that physiologically the reproductive abilities are reduced with advancing age. The use of PMA techniques should not be considered a way to obviate the natural and progressive reduction of fertility: in fact, the probability of getting a pregnancy for a treatment cycle of PMA is inversely proportional to age. Consulting a specialist in time means being able to prevent infertility, diagnosing its causes, treating it when possible, and in any case optimizing the probability of success of PMA techniques.