Definition of infertility
A diagnosis of infertility means you haven’t been able to get pregnant after a year of testing. If you are a woman over 35, it means that you could not have become pregnant after 6 months of trying.
Women may also be diagnosed with infertility who are able to conceive but not carry a pregnancy.
A woman will be diagnosed with primary infertility if she has never been able to get pregnant. A woman who in the past has had at least one successful pregnancy will be diagnosed with secondary infertility.
Infertility is not just a woman’s problem. Men can also be infertile. In fact, both men and women are equally susceptible to fertility issues.
According to the Women’s Health Bureau, about one-third of infertility cases can be attributed to female infertility, while men’s problems account for another third of infertility cases.
The remaining third of cases may be caused by a combination of female and male infertility, or they may have no known cause.
Causes of male infertility
Generally speaking, infertility in men is linked to the following problems:
- efficient sperm production
- sperm count or sperm count
- sperm shape
- semen movement, which includes both the movement of the semen itself and the transport of sperm through the tubes of the male reproductive system
There are a variety of medical conditions, medications, and risk factors that can also affect fertility.
Risk factors
Risk factors associated with infertility in men include, but are not limited to:
- older age
- smoke cigarettes
- excessive consumption of alcohol
- being overweight or obese
- exposure to toxins, such as herbicides, pesticides, and heavy metals
Medical conditions
Some examples of medical conditions that can cause male infertility are:
- retrograde ejaculation
- varicocele or swelling of the veins around the testicles
- testicles that have not descended into the scrotum
- have antibodies that attack and destroy your sperm
- a hormonal imbalance, such as low testosterone production
Drugs and Medication
Various drugs and medications can also affect male fertility, such as:
- chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which is used in case of cancer
- sulfasalazine (Azulfidine, Azulfidine EN-Tabs), used for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or ulcerative colitis (UC)
- calcium channel blockers, used for high blood pressure
- tricyclic antidepressants
- anabolic steroids, which are used to improve athletic performance or hormonal problems such as delayed puberty
- recreational drugs like marijuana and cocaine
The bottom line
Any of these things in men, or even a combination of them, could lead to infertility.
Causes of female infertility
Female infertility can be caused by various factors that affect or interfere with the following biological processes:
- ovulation, when the mature egg releases from the ovary
- fertilization, which occurs when the sperm meets the egg in the fallopian tube after passing through the cervix and uterus
- implantation, which occurs when a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus where it can then grow and turn into a baby
Risk factors
Risk factors for female infertility include:
- increasing age
- smoke cigarettes
- excessive consumption of alcohol
- being overweight, obese, or underweight
- have certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that can damage the reproductive system
Medical conditions
The female reproductive system can be affected by a variety of medical conditions and cause infertility in women.
Examples include:
- ovulation disorders, which can be caused by hormonal imbalances or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- endometriosis
- uterine fibroids
- premature ovarian failure
- scars from previous surgery
Drugs and Medication
Some drugs and medications that can affect female infertility include:
- chemotherapy or radiotherapy
- long-term use of high-dose nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin (Bayer) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
- antipsychotic drugs
- recreational drugs like marijuana and cocaine
The bottom line
According to the Mayo Clinic, problems with ovulation are responsible for about a quarter of infertility problems seen in couples. Two signs that a woman may not be ovulating are an irregular or absent period.
