Causes of Infertility: Overview
Infertility is the inability to become pregnant within one year of trying by couples in which the woman is younger than the age of 35. For women who are age 35 or older, infertility is marked by not being able to get pregnant within six months of trying.
Although a woman’s age is one indicator that can factor into infertility, one or both partners may have a condition that is causing a fertility issue. In fact, male infertility is involved in one-third of cases, female infertility in another third, and both partners have contributing issues or unknown causes of infertility in another third.
Learn about infertility in men and women below.
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Infertility in women
Common causes of female infertility include:
- Adhesions
- Age
- Cancer
- Endometriosis
- Fallopian tube problems
- Fibroids
- Genetic conditions
- Hormone imbalance
- Irregular periods
- Menopause
- PCOS
- PID
- Polyps
- Problems with ovulation
- Recurrent pregnancy loss
- STDs
- Unexplained infertility
- Uterine or cervical abnormalities
Infertility in men
Common causes of male infertility include:
- Cancer
- Emotional concerns
- Genetic problems
- Hormone imbalance
- Problems with ejaculation
- Problems with sperm
- Tubal blockage (including vasectomy)
- Varicocele (bulging veins)
Unexplained infertility
When infertile couples or individuals have undergone all appropriate tests and no cause for their infertility is found, they are diagnosed with unexplained infertility.
Obesity
In women, obesity is a serious risk factor for irregular ovulation and infertility (inability to become pregnant), and in men, obesity is linked to impaired semen quality, decreased libido and erectile dysfunction.