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Infertility is a condition of the
reproductive system that impairs
the conception of children. It
affects approximately 6.1 million
individuals throughout the United
States. The diagnosis of
infertility is usually given to
couples who have been attempting
to conceive for at least 1 year
without success.
Conception and pregnancy are
complicated processes that depend
upon many factors: 1) the
production of healthy sperm by the
man, 2) healthy eggs produced by
the woman; 3) unblocked fallopian
tubes that allow the sperm to
reach the egg; 4) the sperm's
ability to fertilize the egg when
they meet; 5) the ability of the
fertilized egg (embryo) to become
implanted in the woman's uterus;
and 6) sufficient embryo quality.
Finally, for the pregnancy to
continue to full term, the embryo
must be healthy and the woman's
hormonal environment adequate for
its development. When just one of
these factors is impaired,
infertility can result.
Is infertility a woman’s
problem?
It is a common assumption that
infertility is related to the
woman, when in reality only
one-third of infertility cases
are related to the woman
alone. One-third of
infertility problems are
related to men and the
remaining one-third is made up
of a combination of fertility
factors between the couple or
unknown causes. Unknown causes
account for approximately
twenty percent of infertility
cases.
What causes infertility in
men?
Azoospermia
:The most common male
infertility factors include
azoospermia (no sperm
cells are produced) and
oligospermia (few sperm cells
are produced). Sometimes,
sperm cells are malformed or
they die before they can reach
the egg. In rare cases,
infertility in men is caused
by a genetic disease such as
cystic fibrosis or a
chromosomal abnormality.
What causes infertility in
women?
Ovulation
disorder. Female
infertility factor which is
most common is an
ovulation disorder.
Fallopian tubes: Other
causes of female infertility
include blocked fallopian
tubes, which can occur when a
woman has had pelvic
inflammatory disease or
endometriosis. Congenital
anomalies (birth defects)
involving the structure of the
uterus and uterine fibroids
are associated with repeated
miscarriages.
Aging is also an
important factor in female
infertility. The ability for
ovaries to produce eggs
declines with age, especially
after age 35.
When should someone get tested
for infertility?
AS per general rule couple
under 30 begin testing after
trying to conceive
unsuccessfully for 12 months.
The recommendation for women
over 30 is to begin testing
after trying to conceive for 6
months without success.
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