Infertility and Pre-pregnancy Health Resources

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

Causes of infertility

Both men and women can have problems that affect a couple's chances of getting pregnant.

Men

• Enlarged veins in a man’s testicles. This can affect the number and shape of sperm
• Previous injury or damage to the reproductive organs
• Too few sperm or no sperm 
• Aging
• Medical procedures and treatments (such as chemotherapy)
• Genetic factors
• Medications
• Lifestyle factors such as:
  • Drug and alcohol use
  • Smoking
    

Women

• Changes in ovulation, or lack of ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary)
• Physical changes or damage to the uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes
• Changes in or lack of eggs
• Aging
• Genetic factors
• Medications that can affect ovulation or cause hormone changes
• Lifestyle factors such as: 
  • Diet
  • Stress
  • Weight
  • Smoking
  • Drug and alcohol use
    

Treatment options for infertility

Infertility can be treated with:

• Medicines to help with ovulation problems
• Surgery
• Artificial insemination (A man’s sperm is put directly into a woman’s uterus by a doctor or medical professional.)
• Assisted reproductive technology (ART)

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.

1. What should I do to make sure I am in good health before I begin treatment?
2. Should I have genetic counseling or tests before trying to get pregnant?
3. Does your office provide the full range of services that I might need?
4. How much experience do you have with ART procedures?
5. What are your success rates with these procedures and the rate of singleton births?
6. What types of counseling and support services do you offer?
7. What is the time commitment for the recommended treatment(s)?
8. Do you have a summary of the costs for the tests and procedures I may need? What are your payment options?
9. Do you accept insurance? Which ones?

¹Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reproductive Health.http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/Infertility/index.htm. Accessed June 24, 2010.