Infertility 2021: A diagnosis of infertility means you haven't been able to get pregnant after a year of trying
Causes, diagnosis, risks, and treatments / conceive
Everything You Need to Know About Cure Infertility today
Fertility cycle and Facts... Everything You Need to Know About Infertility
Overview
Male causes 2022
Female causes 2023
Diagnosis
Treatments
Natural treatments
Fertility cycl
e
Facts and statistics 2021
Outlook
We include products we think are useful for our readers. Definition of infertility
A diagnosis of infertility means you haven’t been able to get pregnant after a year of trying. If you’re a woman over 35, it means you haven’t been able to get pregnant after 6 months of trying. Women who are able to conceive but not carry a pregnancy to term may also be diagnosed with infertility. A woman who’s never been able to get pregnant will be diagnosed with primary infertility. A woman who’s had at least one successful pregnancy in the past will be diagnosed with secondary infertility. In fact, men and women are equally likely to have fertility problems. According to the Office on Women’s HealthTrusted Source, about one-third of infertility cases can be attributed to female infertility while men’s problems account for another third of infertility cases. The remaining third of cases may be caused by a combination of male and female infertility, or they may have no known cause. Causes of male infertility 2021
Generally speaking, infertility in men is related to issues with the following:
effective production of s***m
s***m count, or the number of s***m
shape of the s***m
movement of the s***m, which includes both the wiggling motion of the s***m themselves and the transport of the s***m through the tubes of the male reproductive system
There are a variety of risk factors, medical conditions, and medications that can also affect fertility. Risk factors
Risk factors associated with infertility in men include, but aren’t limited to:
older age 2021
smoking ci******es
heavy use of alcohol
being overweight or obese
exposure to toxins, such as pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals
Medical conditions
Some examples of medical conditions that can cause male infertility include:
retrograde ej*******on 2021
varicocele, or the swelling of the veins around the testicles
testicles that haven’t descended into the sc***um
having antibodies that attack your s***m and destroy them
a hormonal imbalance, such as low testosterone production
Medications and drugs 2021
Various medications and drugs can also affect male fertility, such as:
chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which are used for cancer
sulfasalazine (Azulfidine, Azulfidine EN-Tabs), which is used for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or ulcerative colitis (UC)
calcium channel blockers, which are used for high blood pressure
tricyclic antidepressants
anabolic steroids, which are used for improved athletic performance or hormonal issues such as delayed puberty
recreational drugs such as ma*****na and co***ne 2021
The bottom line
Any of these things, or even a combination of them, could lead to infertility in men. Learn about the signs of male infertility. Causes of female infertility
Female infertility can be caused by a variety of factors that affect or interfere with the following biological processes:
ovulation, when the mature egg is released from the o***y
fertilization, which occurs when s***m meets the egg in the fallopian tube after traveling through the cervix and uterus
implantation, which occurs when a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus where it can then grow and develop into a baby
Risk factors
Risk factors for female infertility include:
increasing age
smoking ci******es
heavy use of alcohol
being overweight, obese, or significantly underweight
having certain s*xually transmitted infections (STIs) that can damage the reproductive system
Medical conditions
A variety of medical conditions can affect the female reproductive system and cause infertility in women. Examples include:
ovulation disorders, which can be caused by polycystic o***y syndrome (PCOS) or hormonal imbalances
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
endometriosis
uterine fibroids
premature ovarian failure
scarring from a previous surgery
Medications and drugs 2021
Certain medications and drugs that can affect female infertility include:
chemotherapy or radiation therapy
long-term use of high-dosage nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as aspirin (Bayer) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
antipsychotic medications
recreational drugs such as ma*****na and co***ne
The bottom line
According to the Mayo Clinic, ovulation problems cause around one-quarter of the infertility issues seen in couples. An irregular or absent period are two signs that a woman may not be ovulating. Find out more information about the signs of female infertility. Infertility testing
If you’ve been trying to conceive and haven’t been able to, you’re likely wondering when you should plan to see a doctor. Read on to discover which tests they’ll perform to assess the fertility of you and your partner 2021. Men
Men should plan to see a doctor after one year of trying to conceive or if any of the following apply:
erectile dysfunction (ED)
problems with ej*******on, such as delayed ej*******on or retrograde ej*******on
low s*x drive
pain or swelling in the ge***al area
having undergone a previous surgery in the ge***al area
Your doctor will first take your medical history. During this time, they’ll ask about your overall health, your s*xual history, and factors that could affect your fertility. They’ll also perform a physical examination where they check your ge***als for any structural abnormalities or lumps. A semen analysis will likely then be performed. Your doctor will ask you to provide a sample of semen. This sample will then be checked in a laboratory to see how many s***m are present and whether the s***m are shaped normally and moving properly 2021. Depending on the results of your initial exam and semen analysis, your doctor may want to perform additional tests. These tests may include:
hormone testing
ge***al ultrasound
genetic testing
Women
A woman’s fertility begins to decrease following age 30. Women under 35 should visit a doctor after one year of trying to get pregnant while women 35 and over should visit a doctor after 6 months of trying. Your doctor will first take your medical history. They’ll ask about the current state of your health, your s*xual history, and any conditions or illnesses that could contribute to infertility. Then they’ll perform an examination of your pelvic area to check for abnormalities such as fibroids or conditions such as endometriosis or PID. Your doctor will want to see if you’re ovulating every month. This can be determined with an at-home ovulation testing kit or through blood testing at the doctor’s office. An ultrasound may also be used to examine the ovaries and uterus. Other common tests for women include:
hysterosalpingography, which is a type of X-ray used to evaluate the fallopian tubes and uterus
laparoscopy, which uses a camera to examine the internal organs
ovarian reserve testing, which uses a combination of hormone tests to determine a woman’s potential for conceiving 2021— relevant tests include the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) test
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Infertility treatments
If you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant and haven’t been able to, you may wish to seek treatment. The type of treatment that’s recommended can depend on a variety of factors, including:
the cause of infertility 2021, if known
how long you’ve been trying to conceive
your ages
the overall health of both you and your partner
the personal preferences of you and your partner, following consultation about your treatment options
