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Infertility FAQ

Common Questions Answered

By The Office on Women's Health

Problems with ovulation account for most infertility in women. Without ovulation, eggs are not available to be fertilized. Signs of problems with ovulation include irregular menstrual periods or no periods. Simple lifestyle factors – including stress, diet or athletic training – can affect a woman's hormonal balance. Much less often, a hormonal imbalance from a serious medical problem such as a pituitary gland tumor can cause ovulation problems.

Aging is also an important factor in female infertility. The ability of a woman's ovaries to produce eggs declines with age, especially after age 35. About one-third of couples where the woman is over 35 will have problems with fertility. By the time she reaches menopause, when her monthly periods stop for good, a woman can no longer produce eggs or become pregnant.

Other problems can also lead to infertility in women. If the fallopian tubes are blocked at one or both ends, the egg can't travel through the tubes into the uterus. Blocked tubes may result from pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis or surgery for an ectopic pregnancy.

If you have been trying to have a baby without success, you may want to seek medical help. If you are over 35 or if you have reason to believe that there may be a fertility problem, you should not wait for one year of trying before seeing a health care provider.

A medical evaluation may determine the reasons for a ouple's infertility. Usually this process begins with physical exams and medical and sexual histories of both partners. If there is no obvious problem, like improperly timed intercourse or absence of ovulation, tests may be needed.

Want to see more?

• Money, Marriage and Medicine: Some Things to Think About Before You Conceive
• Global Infertility: Experiences in Other Countries
• Visiting the Reproductive Endocrinologist: What to Expect the First Time
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!

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