Definition of infertility
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has defined infertility as “not being
able to get pregnant after one year of trying; or, six months if a woman is 35 years of age or older.”
Infertility is a common problem. About 10% of U.S. women ages 15 through 44 years have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant.1
Infertility VideosAetna and the CDC worked together to create this series of infertility and healthy pregnancy videos. Watch them to learn how you can prepare for pregnancy and have a healthy pregnancy through assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments. Welcome from Aetna: Listen to a description about each video Pre-pregnancy health: Learn what you can do before you get pregnant to improve your health and the health of your baby. ART clinic reviews: In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an option for treating infertility. Learn how you can compare the success rates of different clinics to find one that is right for you. How to reduce multiple births: Learn about elective single embryo transfer (eSET) and other ways to reduce the chances of having multiple births during infertility treatments. |
Causes of infertility
Both men and women can have problems that affect a couple's chances of getting pregnant.
Men
Women
Treatment options for infertility
Infertility can be treated with:
One type of ART is in vitro fertilization (IVF). A woman’s eggs are taken out of her body and then fertilized (combined with sperm) in a lab. After 3 to 5 days, the eggs are implanted into the woman’s uterus. Eggs or sperm from another person (donor) may also be used if there is a problem with the woman's eggs or the man's sperm.
Putting more than one fertilized egg (embryo) into a woman’s uterus can lead to multiple births -- twins, triplets or more. This may cause health problems for the mother and her babies. One way to help avoid multiple births is to have only one embryo put into the uterus. If pregnancy occurs, this approach can increase the chance of a healthy baby and mother.
Questions to ask your doctor
Asking the right questions can help you make an informed decision. Here are some questions to ask a doctor before you get started.
1Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reproductive Health.http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/Infertility/index.htm. Accessed June 24, 2010.