Could You Or Your Partner Be Infertile?

Couples who first start trying to conceive are aware that they may need to wait a while before seeing their positive pregnancy test. Whether or not you get pregnant quickly depends on many factors — including how often you have intercourse, whether you track your ovulation, and whether you and your partner have fertility-decreasing habits such as smoking or drinking too much. 

Still, statistics suggest that the majority of couples (60 percent) get pregnant within six months, while around 85 percent will conceive within a year. About 90 percent of all couples who try for a baby get pregnant naturally. Only around 10 percent of couples will need assisted reproductive technologies to have a child. I'm willing to bet that many more than that relatively small percentage wonder whether they could be infertile while they're trying for a baby. It's completely natural to question whether you might have a fertility problem if the months go by, and you're "still" not expecting. When should you really start thinking about seeing a doctor?

How Is Infertility Defined?

Infertility is now classified as not achieving pregnancy after having unprotected intercourse for 12 months. This means that couples who have been trying to conceive for a year without getting pregnant may start thinking about going to the doctor. Couples in which the female partner is over 35 may see a doctor after trying for six months, so that they have a higher chance of successful fertility treatment. Men and women who already know they have a medical issue that may affect fertility can see their family doctor or a specialist they are seeing about their relevant medical problem right away, or before they even start trying to conceive. 

From this very definition of infertility, it is obvious that the main symptom of infertility is simply not getting pregnant. People who have been trying to conceive for a while should know that it isn't entirely unusual to try for longer than a year and that many couples do conceive after trying for a year, or two, or even three or four — completely spontaneously and without any medical help.

See Also: Infertility Medical Conditions in Women

Infertility: Possible Warning Signs

There are indeed a few signs that can point to trouble. Let's start with the simplest. Infertility is more likely to be at play for couples who have regular unprotected intercourse (which means at least every two to three days), or couples who are tracking the woman's fertile window in a somewhat reliable manner than it is for couples who aren't intimate very often. Using ovulation predictor kits without ever getting a positive test result is a possible warning sign that you're dealing with anovulation. 

Women who have irregular menstrual cycles are also more likely to deal with infertility. We're talking about cycles that are shorter than 24 days or longer than 35 days. These cycles can pint to hormonal imbalances, including possibly those that interfere with ovulation. A luteal phase — the time between ovulation and menstruation — or less than seven to 10 days can also point to trouble, because luteal phase defects mean fertilized eggs will not have the time to implant into the uterus. 

More Signs You Could Be Infertile

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a relatively common disorder in women, and it can affect fertility. Women who already know they suffer from endometriosis when they decide they would like to become pregnant should talk to their healthcare provider about a treatment plan, where relevant. Symptoms that may point to endometriosis include pelvic pain, severe menstrual cramps, pain during and after intercourse, heavy menstrual periods and even bleeding in between two periods. Infertility — the inability to conceive — is yet another symptom of endometriosis. 

PCOS

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is another female reproductive disorder that can affect fertility. Its symptoms include excessive weight gain regardless of diet, very irregular and sometimes absent menstrual periods, excessive hair growth, and skin problems such as acne, oily skin and even dandruff. 

Being overweight or underweight can affect fertility in box sexes as well, something that deserves to be mentioned in its own right. Women who have repeatedly tried to get their overweight under control without success despite taking adequate measures should definitely see their doctor about the possibility they may have PCOS, particularly if they also have other symptoms.

Age

Age is still the Number One cause of infertility. Rather than being a medical disorder, it simply represents the gradual tapering off of fertility in all women. While women have around a 20 percent chance of getting pregnant during each cycle at age 30, that drops to around five percent a decade later. This is why women older than 35 are encouraged to seek medical help after trying to conceive unsuccessfully for six months. Though men have the reputation of being fertile till the day they die, fertility can and does decrease with age for them as well. 

Male Infertility

Though erectile dysfunction is one obvious sign of infertility (a man's inability to get his partner pregnant), most cases of male infertility are much subtler. It tends to be the result of sperm problems like a low sperm count, or problems with the sperm cells' movement or shape. Sperm production or delivery problems can also lead to male infertility. Physical obstructions can be the cause, but less obvious hormonal disorders can be to blame as well. 

Though many people still automatically think the woman must have fertility problems if a couple is unable to achieve pregnancy, male infertility is as common as female infertility. Around a third of all cases of infertility can be attributed to male infertility, and the same figure goes for female infertility. The cause of infertility can either be attributed to both partners, or it remains unexplained, in the remaining third of cases. 

See Also: Infertility Medical Conditions in Men

When To See A Doctor?

The warning signs we described here can point to infertility, as can a few other things like a history of sexually transmitted diseases or not eating a very healthy diet. People who recognize themselves in these warning signs have a good reason to seek medical help even before their 12 or six months of trying to conceive are up. However, it is worth repeating that a lack of symptoms does not necessarily mean infertility is not a factor — and couples who have been trying to conceive without success should certainly see a doctor if they would like to find out what is going on and are comfortable with the idea of pursuing artificial reproductive technologies. 

Which doctor you'll see depends on where you live. Generally speaking, you have three different options. Seeing your family doctor (or general practitioner) for a referral is one possibility. You can also go to a good gynecologist, or see an infertility specialist right away. These are called reproductive endocrinologists.