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Infertility is a reproductive system condition that impairs the conception of children. Conception is a complicated process that depends upon many factors: the production of healthy sperm by the man and healthy eggs by the woman; unblocked fallopian tubes that allow the sperm to reach the egg; the sperm's ability to fertilize the egg when they meet; the ability of the fertilized egg (embryo) to become implanted in the woman's uterus; and sufficient embryo quality. In order for the pregnancy to continue to full term, the embryo must be healthy and the woman's hormonal environment adequate for its development. When just one of these factors is impaired, infertility can result.
Problems with ovulation account for most infertility in women. Without ovulation, eggs are not available to be fertilized. Simple lifestyle factors - including stress, diet, or athletic training - can affect a woman's hormonal balance. Aging is also an important factor in female infertility. The ability of a woman's ovaries to produce eggs declines with age, especially after age 35. About one third of couples where the woman is over 35 will have problems with fertility. Other problems can also lead to infertility in women. If the fallopian tubes are blocked at one or both ends, the egg can't travel through the tubes into the uterus. Blocked tubes may result from pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, or surgery for an ectopic pregnancy.
Infertility is usually defined as not being able to get pregnant despite trying for one year. It affects about 6.1 million Americans, or 10 percent of the reproductive age population, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. About one third of infertility cases are due to problems with the man (male factors) and one third to problems with the woman (female factors). Other cases are due to a combination of male and female factors or to unknown causes.
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Content last modified on May 17, 2005
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