Infertility

What is infertility?

In broad terms, infertility is the inability to conceive after a year of not using birth control. However, if you know you have a condition that can affect fertility, you should get advice from the CARE Fertility team right away.

In addition, women over 35 should wait no more than six months before seeking infertility treatment, and women over 40 should ask for help after three months.

If you and your partner have problems conceiving on your own, it’s important to know that help is available. Around 15-20% of couples in the United States suffer from infertility, and it affects women and men of all races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. 

What causes infertility?

Common causes of female fertility problems include:

Hormonal and ovulation problems

Ovulation is vital because the sperm has nothing to fertilize without an egg. If you have irregular periods or don’t menstruate, you might not be ovulating, which could be due to a hormone imbalance.

Blocked fallopian tubes

A history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a prior ectopic pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like chlamydia and gonorrhea, or tubal surgery are risk factors for blocked or damaged fallopian tubes.

Problems with the uterus

Conditions like uterine fibroids, endometrial polyps, or scar tissue can reduce your chances of conception.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition where plugs of the tissue that normally lines the uterus develop in other places. Moderate or severe endometriosis and surgery for endometriosis can affect your fertility.

Infertility in men is often due to:

• Low sperm count
• Decreased sperm movement (motility)
• Increased sperm DNA fragmentation
• Hormonal problems
• Sexual or erectile dysfunction
• History of testicular cancer, surgery, or injury

Infertility is often idiopathic (of unknown cause).

What other factors affect fertility?

Factors that increase the risk of infertility in both women and men include:

• Increasing age
• Smoking 
• Being overweight or obese
• Being underweight
• History of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases)
• Drinking alcohol regularly
• Emotional stress

These issues can affect fertility directly or cause problems like erectile dysfunction and loss of libido that reduces the frequency of sexual intercourse. Improving your diet, exercising more, reducing stress, maintaining a healthy weight, and giving up alcohol and tobacco can significantly improve many people’s chances of conceiving.

What treatments are available for infertility?

Infertility treatments available at CARE Fertility include:

• In vitro fertilization (IVF)
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with IVF
• Frozen embryo transfer
• Donor eggs
• Donor sperm
• Donor embryos
• Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT)
• Gestational carrier (surrogate)
• LGBTQ+ family building
• Fertility preservation
• Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
• Tubal reversal

Whatever the cause of your infertility, the CARE Fertility team can help. They provide comprehensive medical care and a personalized infertility treatment plan in a fully equipped state-of-the-art facility. 

CARE Fertility’s doctors have extensive experience in both treating infertility and receiving fertility treatment, so you know you’re in the best hands.

To find a solution to your infertility problems, call CARE Fertility or book an appointment online today.