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Understand your options.

Infertility can feel like a crisis. But you’re not alone, and there are many options at your disposal. Arm yourself with the facts by learning about the most common causes of both male and female infertility, as well as:

Fertility treatments, including fertility drugs, in vitro fertilization, and more
Third-party options, from egg donation to surrogacy
Tips on how to decide on a fertility treatment and how to pay for it

What Is Infertility?

Infertility is the inability to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. It may be caused by a single problem or by a combination of factors. Generally, a diagnosis of infertility means that getting pregnant and maintaining a pregnancy will be a challenge, but not an impossibility.

General Infertility Diagnosis

Most doctors give a general diagnosis of infertility if the patient meets one of the following criteria:

She is less than 35 years of age and is unable to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse
She is more than 35 years of age and is unable to conceive after six months of unprotected intercourse

Doctors might also give the following diagnoses associated with infertility:

Secondary infertility: Secondary infertility occurs when a woman has already had a child or children but is unable to conceive again.
Recurrent miscarriage: Some women have little trouble conceiving but can’t bring a pregnancy to term. Medical professionals diagnose recurrent miscarriage if a woman has miscarried three or more times in a row.

An diagnosis of infertility is a general label for what is happening to you. Your doctor may recommend you seek the help of a specialist called a reproductive endocrinologist (RE) for further testing to try to discover the underlying cause of your infertility.

Acknowledgments & Disclaimer

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Basics of Human Reproduction

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