Diminution or absence of ability to produce offspring.
The inability to conceive a child as in reproduction.
The fact of not being fertile, not able to reproduce.
Inability to conceive a baby, also often encompassing the related inability to carry a child, once conceived, to full term in a healthy birth. In practice, infertility is often not permanent and absolute (a condition called sterility) but temporary or a matter of decreased odds, more properly called subfertility. Among specialists in the field, infertility is often defined as the inability to conceive after two years of trying, without medical intervention. Sometimes the problem is simply the result of not timing sexual intercourse with ovulation in such a way as to maximize the chances of conception.
Condition of being unable to bear young—in a woman, an inability to conceive, in a male, an inability to impregnate. Female infertility may be due to a defective ovum, an ovulation disorder, a blockage of the Fallopian tubes, a uterine disorder, or a hormonal imbalance; in a male, infertility may be due to a lower-than-normal number of sperm produced or to sperm with abnormal shape or motility. Many cases of infertility can be corrected through surgery, drugs, or other medical procedures.
The inability of a man and woman of reproductive age to produce offspring after unprotected sexual intercourse. A couple should seek help for infertility if the woman is younger than 35 years and has not become pregnant after having unprotected intercourse for 1 year. If the woman is older, but still of childbearing age, most experts recommend that help be sought after no more than 6 months of unprotected sexual intercourse.
Inability in a woman to conceive or in a man to induce conception. Female infertility may be due to failure to ovulate, to obstruction of the fallopian tubes, or to disease of the lining of the uterus (endometrium). Male infertility may be due to spermatozoa in the ejaculate being defective either in motility (necrospermia) or in numbers (see oligospermia) or to a total absence of sperm.
This is diagnosed when a couple has not achieved a pregnancy after one year of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Around 15-20 per cent of couples have difficulties in conceiving; in half of these cases the male partner is infertile, while the woman is infertile also in half; but in one-third of infertile couples both partners are affected. Couples should be investigated together as efficiently and quickly as possible to decrease the distress which is invariably associated with the diagnosis of infertility. In about 10-15 per cent of women suffering from infertility, ovulation is disturbed. Mostly they will have either irregular periods or no periods at all.
Inability to achieve pregnancy during a year or more of unprotected intercourse. The condition may be present in either or both partners and may be reversible. In the U.S., about 20% of all couples are infertile. In women, infertility may be primary (i.e., present in women who have never conceived) or secondary (i.e., occurring after previous conceptions or pregnancies). Causes of primary infertility in women include ovulatory failure, anatomical anomalies of the uterus, Turner’s syndrome, and eating disorders, among many others. Common causes of secondary infertility in women include but are not limited to tubal scarring (e.g., after sexually transmitted infections), endometriosis, cancers, and chemotherapy. In men, infertility usually is caused by failure to manufacture adequate amounts of sperm (e.g., as a result of exposures to environmental toxins, viruses or bacteria, developmental or genetic diseases, varicoceles, or endocrine abnormalities).
The inability to conceive after twelve months of regular, unprotected (without birth control) sexual intercourse or, in women thirty-five years and older, after six months of unprotected sex.
The incapacity of a man and woman to achieve pregnancy after engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse for a period of 12 months is referred to as infertility.
Infertility is the incapability to conceive offspring, which can arise from issues in either the male or female reproductive system, or often from a combination of problems in both.
The primary cause of male infertility is a deficiency of healthy sperm. Azoospermia refers to the absence of sperm production, while oligospermia indicates a low production of sperm. In certain cases, sperm may be produced, but they could be malformed or have a short lifespan.
The root causes of these issues can include blockages in the spermatic tubes or damage to the spermatic ducts, often resulting from sexually transmitted infections. Additionally, abnormal testes development due to endocrine disorders or damage caused by orchitis can lead to defective sperm. Factors like smoking, exposure to toxins, or certain medications can decrease sperm count in semen samples. Other contributing factors may involve ejaculation disorders. In rare instances, male infertility may be attributed to chromosomal abnormalities, such as Klinefelter’s syndrome, or genetic diseases like cystic fibrosis.
The leading cause of female infertility is the failure to ovulate. Other factors contributing to infertility include blocked, damaged, or absent fallopian tubes, as well as disorders of the uterus like fibroids and endometriosis. Problems with fertilization or challenges related to implantation in the uterus can also be causative factors. In some cases, infertility may occur if the woman’s cervical mucus contains antibodies that harm or immobilize her partner’s sperm. In rare instances, a chromosomal abnormality, such as Turner’s syndrome, can be the underlying cause of a woman’s infertility.
For diagnosing male infertility, the initial investigation involves semen analysis, which includes assessing the sperm count. To identify the cause of female infertility, investigations may include blood and urine tests to check ovulation, ultrasound scans or X-ray examinations to assess fallopian tube blockages, and laparoscopy to determine the presence of conditions like endometriosis.
Treatment options for male infertility are somewhat restricted. Men with azoospermia have the choice of adopting children or undergoing artificial insemination with donor sperm. When the sperm count is low, artificial insemination using the male partner’s sperm or in vitro fertilization (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are potential options. In certain cases of male infertility, gonadotropin hormone therapy may be considered as a helpful intervention.
When a woman experiences ovulation failure, ovarian stimulation with drugs like clomiphene, either alone or in combination with gonadotropin hormone, is employed. In cases of damaged fallopian tubes, microsurgery can sometimes be used for repair. If surgical intervention proves ineffective, in vitro fertilization (IVF) becomes a viable option. Uterine abnormalities or disorders, such as fibroids, may require specific treatments. When the woman has normal fallopian tubes, procedures like gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) or zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) may be considered.