Infertility Introduction

Infertility occurs in both men and women, and prevents couples from conceiving a child. This section focuses on the facts surrounding infertility and the issues and challenges that infertile couples face. In this article we broadly introduce some of the main facts about infertility.

What is infertility?

Infertility is an inability to conceive a child despite having frequent unprotected sex. Approximately one in six couples suffers from these problems. A large majority of couples who are trying for a baby manage to conceive without assistance within a year, but failure to do so does not necessarily suggest infertility, as an estimated 92% of couples succeed with conception within two years. The remaining couples should talk to a medical professional about infertility if they have not done so already.

Types of Infertility

A doctor may diagnose infertility in a sexually active, contraceptive-free couple who do not conceive within six months if the woman is over 35, or one year if she is 34 or under. This difference is due to the decline in quality of women’s eggs after they have reached 35. However these are strict diagnoses and many doctors suggest two years of trying for a baby before diagnosing infertility. The accepted definition for couples who conceive between one and two years is subfertile, meaning that they are less fertile than those who conceive within a year but not infertile. The causes of subfertility are usually similar to those of infertility.

Primary infertility describes a couple who have never conceived a child and have been trying for the requisite amount of time.

Secondary infertility describes a couple who have conceived in the past but are now having difficulties. A change in partner during the intervening years since the first conception rules out secondary infertility.

What causes infertility?

The causes of infertility are many and varied. In women the natural aging process of the body can reduce the effectiveness of their eggs, while many ovulation disorders and a range of conditions affecting the womb or fallopian tubes can also lead to infertility. Men can have abnormal semen, ineffective testicles, hypergonadism, a lack of sperm, or ejaculation disorders. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can affect the fertility of men and women. Certain drugs also contribute to infertility in both sexes, and this is one of multiple lifestyle factors linked to infertility which also include smoking, exposure to solvents or pesticides, and stress. These sorts of causes and more will be explained in depth on this section of the website.

Seeking Medical Guidance

There are a number of productive medical options for treating infertility, and the personal circumstances of each couple will help to determine the best route for them to take. A method that some people try in their homes is an FDA-approved ‘at-home conception device.’ This is one of the conservative measures often recommended by a doctor as an early attempt to combat infertility before suggesting the idea of serious medical procedures, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), assisted hatching, or tuboplasty.

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