Infertility means you cannot make a baby (conceive).

Infertility is grouped into two categories:

• Primary infertility refers to couples who have not become pregnant after at least 1 year of unprotected sex (intercourse).
• Secondary infertility refers to couples who have been pregnant at least once, but never again.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

A wide range of physical and emotional factors can cause infertility. Infertility may be due to problems in the woman, man, or both.

Female Infertility

Female infertility may occur when:

• A fertilized egg or embryo does not survive once it sticks to the lining of the womb (uterus)
• The fertilized egg does not attach to the lining of the uterus
• The eggs cannot move from the ovaries to the womb
• The ovaries have problems producing eggs

Female infertility may be caused by:

• Autoimmune disorders, such as antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)
• Cancer or tumor
• Clotting disorders
• Diabetes
• Growths (such as fibroids or polyps) in the uterus and cervix
• Birth defects that affect the reproductive tract
• Excessive exercising
• Eating disorders or poor nutrition
• Use of certain medications, including chemotherapy drugs
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Obesity
• Older age
• Ovarian cysts and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Pelvic infection or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Scarring from sexually transmitted infection or endometriosis
• Surgery to prevent pregnancy (tubal ligation) or failure of tubal ligation reversal
• Thyroid disease
• Too little or too much of certain hormones

Symptoms

The main symptom of infertility is the inability to become pregnant. Specific symptoms depend on what is causing the infertility
Infertility can cause many painful emotions in one or both partners.