Infertility treatment Treatment to help a person conceive naturally will depend on many factors, including the age of the person who wishes to conceive, how long infertility has lasted, personal preferences, and their general state of health. Frequency of intercourse The first strategy a couple trying to conceive may wish to try is having sexual intercourse more often around the time of ovulation ...

Fertility tests the doctor may want include: A sperm count and analysis to evaluate whether your partner is releasing enough live, normally shaped, fast-moving sperm to make fatherhood possible. Complete blood count and screening of both partners for blood type, HIV and hepatitis viruses, as well as immunity to German measles, and to assess functioning of organs, such as the thyroid gland. Hormon ...

Risk factors Certain factors may put you at higher risk of infertility, including: Age. The quality and quantity of a woman's eggs begin to decline with age. In the mid-30s, the rate of follicle loss speeds, resulting in fewer and poorer quality eggs. This makes conception more difficult, and increases the risk of miscarriage. Smoking. Besides damaging your cervix and fallopian tubes, smoking inc ...

When to see a doctor You probably don't need to see a doctor about infertility unless you have been trying regularly to get pregnant for at least one year. Women should talk with a doctor earlier, however, if they: Are age 35 or older and have been trying to conceive for six months or longer Are over age 40 Have irregular or absent periods Have very painful periods Have known fertility problems H ...

Ovulation disorders appear to be the most common cause of infertility in women. Ovulation is the monthly release of an egg. The eggs may never be released or they may only be released in some cycles. Ovulation disorders can be due to: Premature ovarian failure: The ovaries stop working before the age of 40 years. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): The ovaries function abnormally and ovulation ma ...

What causes the symptoms of PCOS? Most of the symptoms of PCOS are caused by higher-than-normal levels of certain hormones, called androgens. The ovaries produce hormones, which are chemicals that control functions in the body. One of the hormones that the ovaries make is estrogen—sometimes called the "female hormone" because women's bodies make more of it than men's bodies do. The ovaries also m ...

The most common menstrual irregularities include: Amenorrhea or absent menstrual periods: When a woman does not get her period by age 16, or when she stops getting her period for at least 3 months and is not pregnant. Oligomenorrhea or infrequent menstrual periods: Periods that occur more than 35 days apart. Menorrhagia or heavy menstrual periods:Also called excessive bleeding. Although anovulat ...

Disruption of ovarian function (presence or absence of ovulation (anovulation) and effects of ovarian “age”) A woman’s menstrual cycle is, on average, 28 days long. Day 1 is defined as the first day of “full flow.” Regular predictable periods that occur every 24 to 32 days likely reflect ovulation. A woman with irregular periods is likely not ovulating. Ovulation can be predicted by using an ovul ...