Infertility To have a baby…

Infertility refers to the inability of a couple to conceive after 1 year of ‘trying’ It is estimated that 1 in 6 couples experience infertility of some form Female infertility accounts for % of all cases of infertility, while male infertility also accounts for %, with the other % being unknown factors

Causes of Female Infertility 1.Endometriosis – a disease where the endometrial tissue, which is normally shed each month, grows outside of the uterus 2.Ovulation problems – infrequent or absent periods

3.Poor egg quality – chromosomal abnormalities caused by old eggs 4.Ovarian cysts causing lack of ovulation 5.Blocked fallopian tubes preventing eggs from reaching the uterus and mating with sperm

Causes of Male Infertility 1.Male tube blockages 2.Sperm problems – low or no sperm available 3.Sperm allergy – a woman’s body may consider the sperm a hostile invader attacking and killing it

Other Causes of Infertility 1.Unexplained causes – excessive underweight, excessive exercising, environmental pollutants 2.Combination infertility – both partners contribute to the infertility; numerous factors involved

Treatments Available 1.Fertility drugs – used to increase the number of eggs released each month to improve chances of conception 2.Surgery to unblock fallopian tubes or remove scarring or cysts 3.Intra-uterine insemination (IUI) – sperm is injected directly into the uterus to ensure availability

4.Invitro-insemination (IVF) – eggs and sperm are removed and combined in a laboratory to ensure conception then are re-implanted into the uterus 5.Gamete Intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) – eggs and sperm are implanted into the fallopian tubes to allow for natural fertilization to occur

6.Intracytoplamsic sperm injection (ICSI) – one sperm is injected directly into 1 egg ensuring fertilization, and is then implanted into the uterus 7.Egg donation or sperm donation 8.Surrogacy – a surrogate mother carries the fertilized embryo

Baby Centre. (2010). Major Causes of Infertility. Retrieved March 9, 2010, from uspectingaproblem/majorcauses/