Table of Contents Infertility What causes Male Infertility Infertility Causes in Women How is Infertility tested? Infertility Treatment Assisted Reproductive Technology Keeping on Top of Your Condition

Infertility Causes in Women

Problems with ovulation account for most female infertility. 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 tumor can cause ovulation problems.

Aging is 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 female infertility. 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.