What is infertility? Infertility is a condition of your reproductive system that causes people to be unable to get pregnant (conceive). Infertility can affect anyone and has many causes. Getting pregnant involves several steps: Your brain must produce reproductive hormones that control ovarian function. An egg must mature in your ovary. Your ovary must release an egg (ovulation). Your fallopian t ...

Definition of infertility A diagnosis of infertility means you haven’t been able to get pregnant after a year of trying. If you’re a woman over 35, it means you haven’t been able to get pregnant after 6 months of trying. Women who are able to conceive but not carry a pregnancy to term may also be diagnosed with infertility. A woman who’s never been able to get pregnant will be diagnosed with pri ...

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 ...

Risk factors Many of the risk factors for both male and female infertility are the same. They include: Age. Women's fertility gradually declines with age, especially in the mid-30s, and it drops rapidly after age 37. Infertility in older women is likely due to the lower number and quality of eggs, and can also be due to health problems that affect fertility. Men over age 40 may be less fertile th ...

What are risk factors for infertility in all genders? These factors increase the risk of infertility in all genders: Age (over age 35 for women or over 40 for men). Diabetes. Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Excessive alcohol use. Exposure to environmental toxins, such as lead and pesticides. Over exercising. Radiation therapy or other cancer treatments. Sexually transmit ...

Tubal factors Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes prevent sperm from getting to your egg and also prevent the fertilized egg from getting to your uterus. Leading causes of tube problems include pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually transmitted infections (such as chlamydia), and previous sterilization surgery. Possible symptoms: None. Possible solutions: Surgery to open the tubes. If surgery fail ...

Ovulation is the release of an egg from one of the ovaries. It often happens about midway through the menstrual cycle, although the exact timing may vary. In preparation for ovulation, the lining of the uterus, or endometrium, thickens. The pituitary gland in the brain stimulates one of the ovaries to release an egg. The wall of the ovarian follicle ruptures at the surface of the ovary. The egg i ...

For women, is there any connection between hypothyroidism and infertility? There is sometimes a link between hypothyroidism — when you have an underactive thyroid gland — and infertility in women. With hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland doesn't produce enough of certain important hormones. Low levels of thyroid hormone can interfere with the release of an egg from your ovary (ovulation), which im ...