Sterility in case of the female refers to the incapacity to conceive and give birth to a living baby. It ranks high as a reason for unhappy marriages. Sterility or failure to reproduce must be distinguished from fridigity which denotes failure to perform the sex act or to perform it imperfectly.
It may be relevant to first examine the mechanism of conception. The sperms of the male are injected into the vagina during sexual intercourse. At the very same time al alkaline fluid is secreted from the vaginal walls. The mobile sperms are able to move up the womb and through thefallopian tubes to fertilise the ova or the female egg only when this fluid is present.
Two factors are important in ensuring a normal secretion of this fluid. Firstly, there should be an adequate nerve supply to the vaginal ducts. This is the reason why a very nervous woman fails to conceive. The nervous system in such cases must be strengthened by rest, relaxation and proper diet.
The second important factor is to ensure that the fluid flowing from the vaginal walls is alkaline. If this is not so, the sperms are destroyed by the womb. To ensure the necessary alkalinity of the fluid, it is essential to take a predominantly alkaline diet, with a liberal intake of raw vegetables and fruits, and eliminate acid-forming foods.
Causes
Sterility among the female may be due to physical defects, physical debility and functional faults. Physical defects or structural abnormalities ofthe genital and reproductive organs may be congenital or accidental. These structural abnormalities may result from a malformation or the sagging of the womb, collapse of the fallopian tubes and rigidity of the hymen.
Sterility due to physical debility may result from poor health as a consequence of certain acute or chronic diseases. The diseases may affect not only the physical body but also the genital organs. Complaints like gonorrhoea, syphillis and inflammation of the fallopian tubes also come under this category. Chronic anaemia, constipation and Leucorrhea may aggravate these conditions.
Sterility may also be caused by a loss of essential glands or organs of reproduction or a decrease in their functions. These conditions may be brought about by a variety of factors such as surgical injuries, tumour, excessive radiation and lack of normal menstrual cycle. Obesity or emaciation due either to dietetic errors or faulty metabolism are yet other factors which may contribute to female sterility.
Psychological factors like emotional stress, tension, mental depression , anxiety and fear may also result in psychosomatic sterility. This condition is generally temporary and can be corrected by psychotherapy.