Infertility - symptoms and causes (2023)

FAQs

What are the 3 main causes of infertility? ›

Common causes of infertility include: lack of regular ovulation (the monthly release of an egg) poor quality semen. blocked or damaged fallopian tubes.

Infertility is a condition where you can't get pregnant after one year of trying to conceive. Causes of infertility can include ovulatory disorders, endometriosis, low sperm count or low testosterone. The risk of infertility increases as you age.

The main symptom of infertility is not getting pregnant. There may be no other obvious symptoms. Sometimes, women with infertility may have irregular or absent menstrual periods. In some cases, men with infertility may have some signs of hormonal problems, such as changes in hair growth or sexual function.

The main symptom of infertility is the inability to get pregnant. A menstrual cycle that's too long (35 days or more), too short (less than 21 days), irregular or absent can mean that you're not ovulating.

The most common overall cause of female infertility is the failure to ovulate, which occurs in 40% of women with infertility issues. Not ovulating can result from several causes, such as: Ovarian or gynecological conditions, such as primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

What Causes Infertility? Problems with ovulation are the most common reasons for infertility in women. A woman's age, hormonal imbalances, weight, exposure to chemicals or radiation and cigarette smoking all have an impact on fertility.

Does stress cause infertility? While it's unlikely that stress alone can cause infertility, stress interferes with a woman's ability to get pregnant. Research has shown that women with a history of depression are twice as likely to experience infertility. Anxiety also can prolong the time needed to achieve pregnancy.

You could be worrying that you never will. However, there are many possible reasons why you aren't conceiving, including ovulation irregularities, structural problems in the reproductive system, low sperm count, underlying medical problems, or simply not trying enough.

In 85% to 90% of cases, infertility is treated with conventional medical therapies, such as medication or surgery. If fertility treatments are unsuccessful, it is possible to use eggs or sperm donated by a third party or to have another woman carry a fetus. Select a category of treatment to learn more.

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of regular, unprotected intercourse. If you or your female partner are over the age of 35, you should see a fertility specialist after six months. After age 40, we recommend seeking help right away because we know fertility declines as age increases.

How can I test myself for infertility? ›

Most at-home FSH tests are very similar to pregnancy tests administered at home. For easy testing, use a small cup to collect urine from the first urination of the day. Then dip the testing stick into the urine sample and place on a flat surface while the test results register.

Tests for infertility include laboratory tests, imaging tests, and certain procedures. Imaging tests and procedures look at the reproductive organs and how they work. Laboratory tests often involve testing samples of blood or semen.

The main cause of poor egg quality is age, but it is not the only one; there can be other reasons too, including but not limited to pelvic radiation, ovarian surgery, any reproductive illness, genetic abnormalities, chemotherapy, excess consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and some unknown factors.

In general, infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant (conceive) after one year (or longer) of unprotected sex. Because fertility in women is known to decline steadily with age, some providers evaluate and treat women aged 35 years or older after 6 months of unprotected sex.

Studies suggest that after 1 year of having unprotected sex, 12% to 15% of couples are unable to conceive, and after 2 years, 10% of couples still have not had a live-born baby. (In couples younger than age 30 who are generally healthy, 40% to 60% are able to conceive in the first 3 months of trying.⁵)

What if I am ovulating but still not getting pregnant? If you are ovulating but not getting pregnant, the cause is may be polycystic ovaries (PCO). Again it is not uncommon, since around 20% of women have the condition.

Having anxiety and depression may contribute to infertility and the distress of infertility and treatment often leads to anxiety and depression. Up to 40% of women experiencing infertility have a psychiatric diagnosis, most often depression or anxiety.

To be clear: Depression on its own doesn't cause infertility. However, according to a 2018 study , when a sperm-giving partner has severe depression, pregnancy rates drop slightly. Researchers think that may be because depression can make people less interested in sex.

What is unexplained infertility? ›

Unexplained infertility is when fertility testing hasn't found a cause to explain a person or couples infertility. Treatments include fertility medication, lifestyle changes, intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Dr Priti explained, “An unhealthy lifestyle, weight issues, high stress and confusion about the fertile period could be possible reasons for not getting pregnant.”

In general, your chances of conception are: 75 percent after 6 months of trying. 90 percent after 1 year of trying.

A woman's peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s. By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline happens faster once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely.

Men start losing their fertility at age 40.

In a study of more than 1,900 couples, irrespective of the woman's age, IVF attempts involving men 40 or older failed 70 percent more often than IVF attempts involving men younger than 30.

Semen color

Yellow semen may also indicate urine in the semen. This can be an issue that requires attention from a fertility specialist, as it may indicate infertility. Pink or reddish-brown semen suggests that you may have some bleeding from or inflammation of your prostate.

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH)

AMH has quickly become the 'gold standard' in fertility blood tests. Secreted by the small antral follicles in the ovary, AMH is present until a woman reaches menopause. Testing AMH gives a physician a good understanding of your ovarian function and egg reserve.

Tests for women

Hysterosalpingography, or HSG, is an X-ray test to outline the internal shape of the uterus and show whether the fallopian tubes are blocked.

Is infertility is Genetic? ›

Approximately 10 to 15 percent of couples experience infertility, with more than half of these cases being due to an underlying genetic issue. In these instances, the genetic cause could have been inherited.

Your family doctor or gynecologist can test you for infertility, or refer you to a fertility specialist. Your local Planned Parenthood health center can also help you find fertility testing in your area.

Your gynecologist can perform a preliminary fertility evaluation, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. A common problem for couples with fertility struggles is how to properly time intercourse with ovulation, says the National Infertility Association.

Egg quality starts to decline at age 32 and decreases rapidly after 37. Advanced maternal age also heightens the risk of birth defects. Only 28 percent of women, and 35 percent of men, believe age is the number one contributor to female infertility, the AOA survey found.

There's no test for egg quality. The only way to know if an egg is chromosomally normal is to attempt to fertilize it, and, if fertilization is successful, to perform a genetic test on the embryo.

There are two good ways to measure egg count: an antral follicle count and an AMH (anti-Müllerian hormone) test. During an antral follicle count, a doctor uses ultrasound to count the visible follicles.

According to the Human Reproduction Journal, you are least likely to get pregnant on day 4 of your cycle, which suggests a 2 percent possibility of pregnancy. This aligns with the idea that your period offers the lowest chance of pregnancy [7].

An infertile woman or couple may also use donor embryos. These are embryos that were either created by couples in infertility treatment or were created from donor sperm and donor eggs. The donated embryo is transferred to the uterus. The child will not be genetically related to either parent.

Do I need any medical tests or vaccines before trying to conceive? Will mental stress or other mental health conditions affect my chances of pregnancy? Will a previous miscarriage affect my chances of conception? What are my risks with conception if I have had a prior ectopic pregnancy?

Why do I have so much infertility? ›

Lifestyle factors are having an impact

Smoking and being either over-weight or significantly under-weight are known to have the biggest impact on fertility and the chances of conception. “Poor nutrition, increased BMI, smoking and excessive alcohol and drug use are major factors contributing to infertility.

A woman's peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s. By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline happens faster once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely.

Eating more protein from vegetable sources, instead of animal sources, may improve fertility levels in women. Replacing low fat dairy products with high fat versions may help improve fertility and increase your chances of getting pregnant.

If your menstrual cycle lasts 28 days and your period arrives like clockwork, it's likely that you'll ovulate on day 14. That's halfway through your cycle. Your fertile window begins on day 10. You're more likely to get pregnant if you have sex at least every other day between days 10 and 14 of a 28-day cycle.

Peak male fertility is around 25-29 years old. Sperm quality begins to decline at 30. At 45, men begin to experience a significant decrease in semen volume. Older men can also take longer to conceive a child.

Scientists have theorized that a low waist-to-hip ratio is associated with heightened fertility. That is, women with an hourglass figure are more likely to be able to conceive a child. The idea is that men who are drawn to women with hourglass figures will have more children.

Experts advise limiting caffeine if you're trying to conceive and during pregnancy. Some studies have found that women who drink large amounts of caffeine may take longer to become pregnant and have a slightly higher risk of miscarriage and low birth weight.

There is no data suggesting a prenatal vitamin will increase your fertility. The goal of taking a prenatal vitamin when trying to conceive is to aid in a healthy diet to make sure you have enough of the vitamins you need when you conceive and to allow you to have the healthiest pregnancy possible.

How do you clear infertility? ›

Have sex regularly. The highest pregnancy rates occur in couples who have sex every day or every other day. Have sex near the time of ovulation. If having sex every day isn't possible — or enjoyable — have sex every 2 to 3 days a week starting soon after the end of your period.

You could be worrying that you never will. However, there are many possible reasons why you aren't conceiving, including ovulation irregularities, structural problems in the reproductive system, low sperm count, underlying medical problems, or simply not trying enough.