How does one become infertile

Some problems stop an egg being released at all, while others prevent an egg being released during some cycles but not others. Pelvic surgery can damage and scar the fallopian tubes, which link the ovaries to the womb.

Cervical surgery can also sometimes cause scarring or shorten the neck of the womb the cervix. When you're ovulating, mucus in your cervix becomes thinner so sperm can swim through it more easily. If there's a problem with the mucus, it can make it harder to conceive. Non-cancerous growths called fibroids in or around the womb can affect fertility.

In some cases, they may prevent a fertilised egg attaching itself in the womb, or they may block a fallopian tube. Endometriosis is a condition where small pieces of the womb lining the endometrium start growing in other places, such as the ovaries.

This can damage the ovaries or fallopian tubes and cause fertility problems. Pelvic inflammatory disease PID is an infection of the upper female genital tract, which includes the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries.

It's often caused by a sexually transmitted infection STI. PID can damage and scar the fallopian tubes, making it virtually impossible for an egg to travel down into the womb. Some women choose to be sterilised if they do not want to have any more children. Sterilisation involves blocking the fallopian tubes to make it impossible for an egg to travel to the womb.

It's rarely reversible — if you do have a sterilisation reversed, you will not necessarily be able to have a child. The side effects of some types of medicines and drugs can affect your fertility. These include:. Illegal drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine, can seriously affect fertility and make ovulation more difficult. A common cause of infertility in men is poor-quality semen, the fluid containing sperm that's ejaculated during sex.

The most common causes of female infertility include problems with ovulation , damage to fallopian tubes or uterus, or problems with the cervix. Age can contribute to infertility because as a woman ages, her fertility naturally tends to decrease.

Ovulation problems may be caused by one or more of the following:. Damage to the fallopian tubes or uterus can be caused by one or more of the following:. Abnormal cervical mucus can also cause female infertility. Abnormal cervical mucus can prevent the sperm from reaching the egg or make it more difficult for the sperm to penetrate the egg.

Potential female infertility is assessed as part of a thorough physical exam. The exam will include a medical history regarding potential factors that could contribute to infertility. Tracking your ovulation through fertility awareness will also help your healthcare provider assess your fertility status.

Infertility in women is most often treated by one or more of the following methods:. There is usually nothing that can be done to prevent female infertility caused by genetic problems or illness. However, there are several things that women can do to decrease the possibility of infertility:. It is important to contact your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following symptoms:.

Some couples want to explore more traditional or over the counter efforts before exploring infertility procedures. If you are trying to get pregnant and looking for resources to support your efforts, we invite you to check out the fertility product and resource guide provided by our corporate sponsor. Review resource guide here. However, if you are looking for testing or options to increase your fertility chances of conception, you can find a fertility specialist with the search tool below:.

There are many treatments, depending on the infertility cause. Many infertile couples will go on to conceive a child without treatment. The main symptom of infertility is the inability to get pregnant. A menstrual cycle that's too long 35 days or more , too short less than 21 days , irregular or absent can mean that you're not ovulating.

There might be no other signs or symptoms. Your doctor might also want to begin testing or treatment right away if you or your partner has known fertility problems, or if you have a history of irregular or painful periods, pelvic inflammatory disease, repeated miscarriages, cancer treatment, or endometriosis.

The ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix and vagina vaginal canal make up the female reproductive system. During fertilization, the sperm and egg unite in one of the fallopian tubes to form a zygote. Then the zygote travels down the fallopian tube, where it becomes a morula.

Once it reaches the uterus, the morula becomes a blastocyst. The blastocyst then burrows into the uterine lining — a process called implantation. For pregnancy to occur, every step of the human reproduction process has to happen correctly. The steps in this process are:. In women, a number of factors can disrupt this process at any step. Female infertility is caused by one or more of the factors below. Ovulating infrequently or not at all accounts for most cases of infertility.

Problems with the regulation of reproductive hormones by the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland or problems in the ovary can cause ovulation disorders. Damaged or blocked fallopian tubes keep sperm from getting to the egg or block the passage of the fertilized egg into the uterus.

Causes of fallopian tube damage or blockage can include:. Endometriosis occurs when tissue that typically grows in the uterus implants and grows in other places. This extra tissue growth — and the surgical removal of it — can cause scarring, which can block fallopian tubes and keep an egg and sperm from uniting. Endometriosis can also disrupt implantation of the fertilized egg.

The condition also seems to affect fertility in less-direct ways, such as damage to the sperm or egg.