In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a treatment for infertility or genetic problems. If IVF is performed to treat infertility, you and your partner might be able to try less-invasive treatment options before attempting IVF, including fertility drugs to increase production of eggs or intrauterine insemination — a procedure in which sperm are placed directly in the uterus near the time of ovulation. So ...

Fertility cycle Women are most fertile around the time that they ovulate. Tracking your ovulation and then concentrating your sexual activity around this time can improve your chances of conceiving. Ovulation occurs one day out of the month. At this time, your ovaries release a mature egg, which begins to travel through your fallopian tubes. If the egg encounters sperm during its journey, fertili ...

Egg Quality: Women become less likely to become pregnant and more likely to have miscarriages because egg quality decreases as the number of remaining eggs dwindle in number. These changes are most noted as she reaches her mid-to-late 30s. Therefore, a woman’s age is the most accurate test of egg quality. An important change in egg quality is the frequency of genetic abnormalities called aneuploid ...

What are the causes of low sperm count or abnormal sperm function in men? Low sperm count or abnormal sperm function may be caused by different things. These include: Undescended testicles Genetic defects/DNA damage Diabetes Prior bacterial or viral infections such as mumps or adenovirus Trauma or prior surgeries on the testicles or inguinal region Enlarged veins (varicoceles) in the testes that ...

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 ovary fertilization, which occurs when sperm meets the egg in the fallopian tube after traveling through the cervix and uterus implantation, which occurs when a fertilized egg attaches to the lin ...

When should you seek help for infertility? Women under the age of 35 who aren’t pregnant after one year of trying should see a healthcare provider. You should seek help sooner (after six months of trying) if you’re older than 35. A woman’s chances of getting pregnant decrease with age. A 30-year-old woman is half as fertile as a 20-year-old woman. Regardless of gender, you should seek help early ...

About one-third of these cases are due to female fertility problems, one-third to male fertility problems, and the rest to factors involving both partners or to unexplained causes. If you've had regular, unprotected sex for more than a year without conceiving (or six months if you're older than 35), see your doctor. About 65 percent of couples that get treatment for a fertility problem are eventu ...

Ovulation problems: An ovulation problem occurs when eggs don't mature in the ovaries or when the ovaries fail to release a mature egg. This is sometimes known as premature ovarian failure. Ovulation problems are common in women with infertility. Possible symptoms: Absent or infrequent periods, unusually light or heavy menstrual bleeding, or lack of such premenstrual symptoms as bloating or breas ...