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 ...

Egg retrieval Egg retrieval can be done in your doctor's office or a clinic 34 to 36 hours after the final injection and before ovulation. During egg retrieval, you'll be sedated and given pain medication. Transvaginal ultrasound aspiration is the usual retrieval method. An ultrasound probe is inserted into your vagina to identify follicles. Then a thin needle is inserted into an ultrasound guide ...

Infertility can be caused by many different things. For 1 in 4 couples, a cause cannot be identified. Infertility in women Infertility is commonly caused by problems with ovulation (the monthly release of an egg from the ovaries). Some problems stop an egg being released at all, while others prevent an egg being released during some cycles but not others. Ovulation problems can be a result of: ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

What is intrauterine insemination (IUI)? Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is an infertility treatment that is often called artificial insemination. In this procedure, specially prepared sperm are inserted into the woman’s uterus. Sometimes the woman is also treated with medicines that stimulate ovulation before IUI. IUI is often used to treat Mild male factor infertility. Couples with unexplained ...