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Family & Fertility: What's the Connection?

Team AckoFeb 8, 2024

Does your Family history affect your fertility? Well, the answer to this question depends on various underlying factors. Let’s have a closer look at them.

Contents

Infertility and reproductive organs
Age and infertility

Family history and fertility

Were you worried when you came to know that your mom or sister was infertile or had trouble getting pregnant and does that mean you too will be infertile?

You can relax; as the good news for most of the causes of infertility does not mainly blame your family history. It is not the greatest factor or even one of the greatest factors that affect your fertility.

As such, family history does not affect fertility; it may be significant in diseases that tend to run in families and can harm your fertility.

According to a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist, the family risk is very minimal while dealing with a mild or moderate male factor.

Usually, doctors are unable to identify the specific causes for irregularities in sperm production. Most experts agree that some extreme genetic abnormalities in males can lead to acute low sperm counts or the absence of sperm production. They also believe that these genetic disorders may be inheritable. In men, the quantity, vitality or motility of the sperm are the most likely culprits for infertility. Normally, men can transmit these genetic disorders to their offsprings. For example, extra chromosomes or loss of part of the Y chromosome can be a reason for low sperm counts.

If one of the couples is a carrier of an irregular chromosome, then the embryo could receive either extra or missing genetic information that could cause a miscarriage or some other reproductive issues. According to the National Institutes of Health, these abnormalities of chromosome can take place at random in a foetus from chromosomally natural parents though several are passed down between generations too.

To cite an example, if a mother has one X chromosome which is abnormal, then the daughter has a 50 percent chance of inheriting that irregular X chromosome.

There are other unusual, inherited single-gene diseases such as fragile X syndrome, cystic fibrosis (CF) and Tay-Sachs disease, which can cause fertility issues. CF is linked with infertility in males because of abnormal or absent vas deferens (tubes that sperm pass through) resulting in reduced or absent sperm in the semen.

Infertility and reproductive organs

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) advocates that infertility can also be the result of other problems with the reproductive organs. For instance, a blocked fallopian tube, which might be due to endometriosis (when a tissue that is similar to the inside lining of the womb uterus is outside the uterus, pelvic infections, uterine fibroids (extra growth of the muscle in the uterus), or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a condition caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones that creates problems in the ovaries, may run in families.

Sadly, experts are unaware of what causes infertility in 20% of women. Family history plays only a minimal role in a woman’s ability to get pregnant.

Age and infertility

Age is another big contributing factor in women. As she ages, the numbers of her eggs decreases and furthermore the number of abnormal eggs increases, which in turn increases the risk of miscarriage and Down Syndrome.

Though scientists are still working to unravel how genetics can affect fertility issues, it is estimated that approximately fifty percent of infertility cases are due to genetic issues.

Many genetic conditions in a family history may not necessarily interfere with the ability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to the term. To have a thorough knowledge about it, a genetic counsellor can give a complete know-how about it. Equipped with this knowledge, the couples at risk of transmitting genetic conditions, are at a liberty of choosing to obtain the full advantage of technology, such as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).

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Family & Fertility: What's the Connection?

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, based on industry experience and secondary sources. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for health or insurance-related decisions. Content is subject to change, refer to current policy wordings for specific ACKO details.

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