CDC
For couples hoping to become parents, the difficulty conceiving a baby can be frustrating and unexpected. Many couples struggling with infertility end up having children, sometimes with medical help. An important initial step is to understand the possible causes of infertility.
Infertility is generally defined as not being able to get pregnant after a year of unprotected sex. Most experts recommend visiting a fertility specialist at this time. Because fertility in women is known to decline steadily with age, women aged 35 years and older may consider seeking evaluation and treatment after 6 months of try. Couples with infertility should consider making an appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist, a physician who specializes in the management of infertility.
Infertility is generally defined as not being able to get pregnant after a year of unprotected sex.
Is infertility a common problem?
What causes infertility in men?
What increases a man’s risk of infertility?
What causes infertility in women?
What increases a woman’s risk of infertility?
How do doctors treat infertility?
Pregnancy is the result of a process that has many steps. Get pregnant:
An egg must be released from one of the ovaries (external ovulation icon).
Sperm must fertilize the ovum.
The fertilized ovum (embryo) must travel from an external icon of the fallopian tube to the external icon of the uterus (uterus) .
The embryo must adhere to the inside of the uterus (implantation).
Infertility can result from a problem with one or more of these steps.
Couples with the following conditions, signs, or symptoms should not delay seeing their healthcare provider when trying to get pregnant:
For women:
Irregular menstrual periods or no periods.
Very painful periods.
Endometriosisternal icon.
Illness pelvic inflammatory.
History of more than one miscarriage.
Pair to men:
Suspected male factor infertility (for example, history of testicular trauma, hernia surgery, chemotherapy, or infertility with another partner)
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Is infertility a common problem?
Yes. About 7% of married women from 15 to 44 years in the United States do not they can get pregnant after a year of trying. Furthermore, around 12% of women in 15 a 44 years have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term.
Although it is often considered a problem of the women, infertility can affect both men and women. In approximately 35% of couples with infertility, a male factor is found with or without a female factor. In approximately 8% of couples with infertility, the male factor is the only cause found.
What causes infertility in men men?
A specialist will study the movement, shape, and number of sperm in a semen sample to determine if a male factor is involved.
Some risk factors for abnormal semen include:
Disruption of testicular or ejaculatory function, such as from trauma to the testicles, excessive alcohol or drug use, cancer treatment, use of certain medications or medical disorders.
Hormonal disorders caused by improper functioning of the hypothalamus or the pituitary glands, which maintain normal testicular function.
Genetic disorders such as Klinefelter syndrome, Y chromosome microdeletion, myotonic dystrophy or other genetic disorders m
What increases a man’s risk of infertility?
Couples in which the male partner is 40 years or older are more likely to report difficulties conceiving .
Being overweight or obese.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
Exposure to testosterone, radiation, certain medications or certain environmental toxins.
Frequent exposure of the testicles to high temperatures .
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What causes the infertility in women?
Women need an external icon of functional ovaries, an external icon of the fallopian tubes and an icon external uterus to get pregnant. Conditions that affect any of these organs can contribute to female infertility. Some of these conditions are listed below and can be evaluated with testing.
Disruption of ovarian function and effects of “age” ovarian
A woman’s menstrual cycle is, on average, 28 days. Regular and predictable periods that occur every 24 to 32 days mean that it is likely that the woman is ovulating. A woman with irregular periods may not be ovulating. Lack of ovulation can be caused by the following:
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): PCOS is a condition that causes a woman to not ovulate or ovulate irregularly . PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility.
Decreased ovarian reserve (DOR): Women are born with all the eggs they will have throughout their lives and the egg count naturally decreases over time. DOR is a condition in which there are fewer eggs in the ovaries than normal.
Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA): Women with FHA do not have their periods due to excessive exercise, stress, or low body weight.
Inadequate function of the hypothalamus and pituitary glands: These glands in the brain produce hormones that maintain ovarian function normal.
Premature ovarian failure; POI, sometimes called premature menopause, occurs when a woman’s ovaries stop producing eggs before the age of 40 years.
Menopause.external icon Menopause is a natural decline in ovarian function that usually occurs around the 50 years. By definition, a woman in menopause has not had a period in 1 year.
Blocked fallopian tubes
Risk factors for blocked fallopian tubes may include a history of pelvic infection, ruptured appendix, gonorrhea or chlamydia, external icon endometriosis, or abdominal surgery.
Physical characteristics of the uterus.
Depending on the woman’s symptoms, the external uterus icon can be evaluated using a transvaginal ultrasound to look for the external fibroma icon or other problems.
What increases a woman’s risk of infertility?
Years. About 1 in 6 couples in which the woman is 35 years or older has fertility problems. Aging decreases fertility because older women have fewer eggs left, eggs are less healthy, and women are more likely to have health problems that can cause fertility problems. Aging also increases a woman’s chances of having a miscarriage and of having a child with a genetic abnormality.
Smoking.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
Extreme weight gain or loss.
Excessive physical or emotional stress resulting in amenorrhea (no periods).
How do doctors treat infertility?
Male and female infertility can be treated with medications, surgery, intrauterine insemination, or assisted reproductive technology.
Doctors recommend specific treatments for infertility based on the factors that contribute to infertility, its duration and the woman’s age.
For more information on infertility and ART, see CDC Division of Reproductive Health.