Infertility means not being able to get pregnant after at least one year of trying (or 6 months if the woman is over age 35). If a woman keeps having miscarriages, it is also called infertility. Female infertility can result from age, physical problems, hormone problems, and lifestyle or environmental factors.

Female infertility causes can be difficult to diagnose. There are many available treatments, which will depend on the cause of infertility. Many infertile couples will go on to conceive a child without treatment. After trying to get pregnant for two years, about 95 percent of couples successfully conceive.

There are many treatment options for infertility, including medications to correct hormonal issues, surgery for physical problems and in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Symptoms of Female Infertility

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 may be no other outward signs or symptoms.

When to see a doctor.

When to seek help sometimes depends on your age:

Your doctor may 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, prior cancer treatment, or endometriosis.

Who is at risk for female infertility?

Many factors can increase a woman’s risk of female infertility. General health conditions, genetic (inherited) traits, lifestyle choices and age can all contribute to female infertility. Specific factors can include:

Age.

Hormone issue that prevents ovulation.

Abnormal menstrual cycle.

Obesity.

Being underweight.

Having a low body-fat content from extreme exercise.

Endometriosis.

Structural problems (problems with the fallopian tubes, uterus or ovaries).

Uterine fibroids.

Cysts.

Tumors.

Autoimmune disorders (lupus, rheumatoid feminfert, Hashimoto’s disease, thyroid gland conditions).

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

Primary Ovary Insufficiency (POI).

Excessive substance use (heavy drinking).

Smoking.

DES syndrome (DES is a medication that was given to women to prevent complications in pregnancy like premature birth or miscarriage. However, this medication has caused infertility in some of the children of mothers who took DES.).

A past ectopic (tubal) pregnancy.