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Infertility FAQ

What is Infertility?

infertility explained Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system that impairs one of the body's most basic functions: the conception of children. Conception is a complicated process that depends upon many factors: the production of healthy sperm by the man and healthy eggs by the woman; open fallopian tubes that allow the sperm to reach the egg; the sperm's strength in swimming towards the egg; the sperm's ability to fertilize the egg when they meet; the ability of the fertilized egg (embryo) to divide, develop and then become implanted in the woman's uterus; and sufficient embryo quality to sustain a pregnancy.

For a 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.

What causes infertility?
No one can be blamed for infertility just as noone is to blame for diabetes or leukemia. About one-third of infertility cases can be attributed to male factors, and about one third to female factors. For the remaining one third of infertile couples, infertility is caused by a combination of problems in both partners or, in about 20 percent of cases, is unexplained.

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 die before they can reach the egg. In addition, male infertility may be the result of a genetic disease such as cystic fibrosis or of a chromosomal abnormality.

The most common factor in female infertility is an ovulation disorder or polycystic ovarian syndrome. Other causes of female infertility include blocked fallopian tubes, which can occur when a woman has had pelvic inflammatory disease, or endometriosis (a sometimes painful condition causing adhesions and cysts). Congenital anomalies (birth defects) involving the structure of the uterus and uterine fibroids may be associated with repeated miscarriages.

How do doctors diagnose infertility?
Doctors generally advise couples to seek medical help if they are unable to achieve pregnancy after a year of unprotected intercourse. A fertility specialist then conducts a physical examination of both partners to determine their general state of health and to evaluate physical factors. Usually both partners are interviewed about their sexual habits in order to determine whether they are having appropriate intercourse for conception.

If the specialist can determine no cause at this point, the couple may undergo more specific tests. For women, these include an analysis of ovulation, x-ray of the fallopian tubes and uterus, and, in certain cases, a laparoscopy. For men, initial tests focus on semen analysis.