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Summary
Infertility means not being able to become pregnant after a year of trying. If a woman can get pregnant but keeps having miscarriages or stillbirths, that's also called infertility.
Infertility is fairly common. After one year of having unprotected sex, about 15 percent of couples are unable to get pregnant. About a third of the time, infertility can be traced to the woman. In another third of cases, it is because of the man. The rest of the time, it is because of both partners or no cause can be found.
There are treatments that are specifically for men or for women. Some involve both partners. Drugs, assisted reproductive technology, and surgery are common treatments. Happily, many couples treated for infertility go on to have babies.
NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Defining Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF
- Infertility (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Infertility and Fertility
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
- Infertility FAQ's (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Optimizing Natural Fertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF Also in Spanish
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Pregnancy Problems? Boost the Chance of Having a Baby
(National Institutes of Health)
Also in Spanish
Latest News
- Fertility Tests May Not Be Best Gauge of Your Biological Clock (10/10/2017, HealthDay)
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Ovarian Reserve Tests Fail to Predict Fertility, NIH-Funded Study Suggests
(10/10/2017, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
- Sperm Counts Continue to Decline in Western Nations: Review (07/25/2017, HealthDay)
Diagnosis and Tests
- Evaluating Infertility (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
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How Is Infertility Diagnosed?
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
- Prerequisite Testing for Infertility Treatment (Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology)
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Protect Your Fertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF
Treatments and Therapies
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Assisted Reproductive Technology: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
- Fertility Herbs: Do They Enhance Fertility? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Treating Infertility (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Also in Spanish
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What Infertility Treatments Are Available?
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
Living With
- Infertility Counseling and Support: When and Where to Find It (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF
- Psychological Component of Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)
- Stress and Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF Also in Spanish
Related Issues
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Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
Also in Spanish
- Fertility Drugs and the Risk of Multiple Births (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Reproductive Aging in Women (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF
- Secondary Infertility: Why Does It Happen? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Sexual Dysfunction and Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Smoking and Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) Also in Spanish
- STDs and Infertility (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Weight and Fertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) Also in Spanish
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What Is Fertility Preservation?
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
Genetics
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Genetics Home Reference: 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 deficiency
(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency
(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 46,XX testicular disorder of sex development
(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: androgen insensitivity syndrome
(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Bloom syndrome
(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Leydig cell hypoplasia
(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Swyer syndrome
(National Library of Medicine)
Videos and Tutorials
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Understanding Infertility - The Basics
(American Society for Reproductive Medicine)
Statistics and Research
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High Plasticizer Levels In Males Linked to Delayed Pregnancy for Female Partners
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
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Infertility Research at the NICHD
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Artificial Insemination
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Fertility
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Fertilization in Vitro
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Infertility
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Introduction: Contemporary approaches to alternative ovarian stimulation strategies for in vitro...
- Article: Fertility challenges for women with sickle cell disease.
- Article: Outcomes from a university-based low-cost in vitro fertilization program providing access...
- Infertility -- see more articles
Find an Expert
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Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
- womenshealth.gov (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
Men
-
Male Infertility: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
Women
-
Female Infertility: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Androgen insensitivity syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Infertility (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish