Alternative Names
Barren; Inability to conceive; Unable to get pregnant
Definition of Infertility:
Infertility is the inability to become pregnant after 12 months of unprotected sex (intercourse).
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Primary infertility is the term used to describe a couple that has never been able to achieve a pregnancy after at least 1 year of unprotected sex.
Secondary infertility describes couples who have been pregnant at least once, but have not been able to achieve a pregnancy again.
Causes of infertility include a wide range of physical and emotional factors. About 30 - 40% of all infertility is due to a "male" factor such as:
Some factors that affect sperm count are:
- Heavy marijuana use
- Use of prescription drugs such as cimetidine, spironolactone, and nitrofurantoin
"Female" factor causes include:
- Abnormal egg transport from the cervix through the fallopian tubes (causes 40 - 50% of infertility in couples)
- Hormone imbalance
- Ovarian cysts
- Pelvic infection
- Poor nutrition
- Problem with ovulation
- Scarring from sexually transmitted disease or endometriosis
- Tumor
The other 10 -30% of infertility cases may be caused by factors from both partners, or no cause that can be identified.
About 10 - 20% of couples will be unable to conceive after 1 year of trying to become pregnant. It is important that you try to get pregnant for at least 1 year.
The chances for a pregnancy in healthy couples who are both under the age of 30 and having sex regularly is only 25 - 30% per month. A woman's peak fertility occurs in her early 20s. As a woman ages beyond 35 (and especially after age 40), the likelihood of getting pregnant drops to less than 10% per month.
In addition to age-related factors, other infertility risks include:
