How common is it to have fertility issues?
Women's Factors Include:
- Age
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol use
- Drugs
- Stress
- Poor diet
- Athletic training
- Being overweight or underweight
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Health problems that cause hormonal changes, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Radiation treatment and chemotherapy for cancer
Male Factors Include:
- Age
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol use
- Drugs
- Environmental toxins, including pesticides and lead
- Health problems such as mumps, serious conditions like kidney disease, or hormone problems
- Medicines Radiation treatment and chemotherapy for cancer
- Varicocele
What causes infertility in women?
Most cases of female infertility are caused by problems with ovulation. Without ovulation, there are no eggs to be fertilized. Some signs that a woman is not ovulating normally include irregular or absent menstrual periods.
Ovulation problems are often caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a hormone imbalance problem which can interfere with normal ovulation.
Other Causes of Fertility Problems In Women Include:
- Blocked fallopian tubes due to pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, or surgery for an ectopic pregnancy
- Physical problems with the uterus
- Uterine fibroids, which are non-cancerous tumors of muscle tissue within the walls of the uterus
How long should I try to get pregnant before seeing a specialist?
Most experts suggest at least one year for women under 35 who have regular cycles and no known health conditions. Women aged 35 years or older should see their doctors after six months of trying. A woman's chances of having a baby decrease rapidly every year after the age of 35.
We recommend seeing specialist sooner if you have experienced any of these issues:
- Irregular periods or no menstrual periods
- Very painful periods
- Endometriosis
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- More than one miscarriage
