What Is Infertility?

Infertility is ultimately defined as the inability to conceive a pregnancy after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse.  Infertility affects approximately 6 million men and women in the United States.  Women who are over the age of 35 or who have known reproductive problems are considered to suffer from infertility after the inability to conceive in about six months.  Most causes of infertility for both men and women are identifiable and treatable.

Successful conception and pregnancy is dependent upon many factors.  If even one factor is impaired then the conception is in jeopardy and infertility can result.  Once the general practitioner or gynecologist diagnoses infertility, the couple needs to seek medical care from a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE).  An RE is typically referred to as an infertility specialist and will employ Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) in his or her practice in an effort to help couples conceive a pregnancy.  The RE will evaluate the couple and do a wide range of medical tests to try to figure out the reason for the inability to conceive.  Once a diagnosis is made, the RE will make recommendations for treatments.  It is the choice of the couple regarding what treatments to choose and how far in the treatment program to venture.

Infertility is not limited only to women although there are more opportunities for things to go wrong within the female reproductive system.  Approximately one-third of infertility cases are attributed to the woman alone.  Another one-third of infertility cases are a result of reproductive problems with both the man and the woman.  Approximately twenty percent of all infertility cases are of unknown origin.

In men, there are two most commonly found reasons for infertility.  These include azoospermia, which is when the male body does not produce any sperm cells, and oligospermia, which is when only the male produces a few random sperm cells.  In some cases, the sperm cells can be deformed or misshapen and will die before they even reach the egg within the female body.  Infertility in men can also be caused from genetic abnormalities such as Cystic Fibrosis or chromosomal deficiencies.

In women, the most common cause of infertility is an ovulation disorder or disruption in the reproductive cycle.  Other causes of infertility in women can include blocked fallopian tubes resulting from reproductive diseases such as endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease.  In addition, there are congenital abnormalities of the uterus and uterine fibroids that can cause repeated miscarriage.  Age is another important factor in female infertility because as a woman ages particularly after the age of 35 years, the ability of the ovaries to produce eggs begins to quickly decline.

There are many tests and treatments for both male and female infertility.  With the medical advancements that are available today, many couples are able to have babies who previously would not have been able to have a successful pregnancy.  The most important issue surrounding infertility is to be patient and seek proper medical care.  While some cases of infertility are unexplained and untreatable, these situations are rare and successful pregnancy is much more of a reachable goal for couples now more than in previous years.