Reasons for Infertility and Your Options

Copyright (c) 2010 Chris Jones

If you're like a lot of couples, you might blame yourselves for not being able to conceive, thus bringing pressure on the relationship between you two, not to mention your family and friends. Sadly, this is not surprising because, as you might guess, the reasons for infertility often bring into focus the very sensitive and very personal issues of what it means to be a man or a woman in our society.

However, you must take note that the causes for infertility are not so much the deliberate results of actions on the part of the individual but are more centered on being predisposed to the condition. In short, most of the time infertility cannot be helped by the individual but most definitely, modern medical science and technology can help you become gloriously pregnant.

In Men

If statistics are anything to go by, low sperm count is the most common of all reasons for infertility in men. When tests show that your sperm count is less than 20 million sperm per one milliliter of seminal fluid, then you are said to have the condition.

Don't go bashing yourself too much, however, as there are no known causes for low sperm count. It might be very frustrating for all the parties concerned but worrying about it too much only leads to stress, which is not good for your reproductive efforts.

Other causes of male infertility include abnormally shaped sperm and a low rate of sperm motility, both of which can be attributed to lifestyle choices. This time, you can blame yourself a little although it can be chalked up to ignorance of the effects these lifestyle habits have on fertility. These reasons for infertility in relation to lifestyle choices include use of narcotics such as marijuana, cigarettes and alcohol as well as some prescription drugs. You must also take note that exposure to harmful chemicals like lead and pesticides also affect fertility.

In Women

In women, the causes for infertility become more complex especially in light of the more numerous things that can go wrong with the female reproductive system. You may have problems in either your ovulation cycle or your lifestyle choices or your body has underlying medical conditions, all of which are preventing the possibility of getting pregnant by natural means.

Thus, the reasons for infertility in women and their treatment options are:

It's quite possible that your atypical patterns of ovulation are the result of hormonal imbalances. That's why hormonal therapy is such a popular choice for treatment in this case. You may also need to add or lose weight to help your hormones achieve just the right balance to get pregnant. As with men, poor choices in your lifestyle while trying to get pregnant will hurt your chances of success. It is essential that you take on a more health-conscious lifestyle - eat a balanced diet, get sufficient hours of sleep, exercise more, manage your stress and take your supplements. You may also have underlying physical conditions like blocked tubes, endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Further, get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Keep in mind that your chances of getting pregnant decrease with age.

There are many reasons for infertility in men and women. If you are experiencing any of them, the best course of action is to consult your doctor, who may refer you to a fertility specialist.


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Chris D Jones researches medical matters for a living. For more information about 'reasons for infertility' and related issues, visit: http://signs-of-infertility.com/reasons-for-infertility/