How many people are affected by infertility?
Estimates are that one in six couples are affected by some degree of infertility. However, that number may be very misleading. Many couples opt to lead child-free lives rather than seek treatment for their infertility, and we believe they are rarely included in infertility estimates. Others suffer recurrent pregnancy losses which are, in a way, a form of infertility---and are not technically considered "infertile" because they are able to conceive.
INCIID is in the process of creating a survey designed to provide new insights about who is infertile, what kinds of infertility they are experiencing, what kinds of treatments have been successful for specific diagnoses, and much more. This survey will be conducted online, and is expected to be a source of important clinical information for practitioners as well as consumers.
What are the most common causes of infertility?
Some of the more common causes of infertility are diminished ovarian reserve (older women or women with premature ovarian failure), blocked fallopian tubes (sometimes because of endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and STDs), endometriosis and polycystic ovarian disease. Low sperm count, poor sperm morphology (the shape of the sperm) and poor motility (the ability of the sperm to swim in the right direction) are also major contributors to a couple's infertility. The estimates are that overall fertility problems are 50 percent female and 50 percent male.
What are some less common causes of infertility?
Although still considered "uncommon" by many practitioners, evidence is mounting that many cases of "unexplained" infertility are actually the result of an immune system malfunction. There are many variances of immune problems--- ranging from antisperm antibodies to an outright rejection of a developing fetus. The good news is that there is greatly improved testing now available to screen for these problems, and new treatment protocols are netting unprecedented success rates.
Guest How many people are affected by infertility?
The main cause of infertility is the misuse of technology.