INFERTILITY

• Infertility is the state of not able to get pregnant after at least one year of intercourse. 
• Even though a woman who can get pregnant but if she has repeated miscarriages is also said to be infertile. 
• In only One-third of infertility cases is due to female factors. 
• In another one-third of infertility cases is due to male factors. 
• The remaining infertility cases are caused by unknown factors or a mixture of male and feminine factors.  
  
  
  

Causes of male infertility

  The two main factors that cause male infertility are

1. Impaired production or function of sperm
2. Impaired delivery of sperm

Impaired production/impaired function of sperm

• Impaired shape of sperm. 
• STD infections. 
• Impaired movement of sperm. 
• Low sperm concentration. 
• Oligospermia is the term used when there is less number of sperms in the ejaculate of the male or less than 20 million sperm per milliliter. 
• Azoospermia is that the complete absence of sperm within the ejaculate. 
• Undescended testicle - Cryptorchidism. 
• Testosterone deficiency-male hypogonadism. 
• Genetic defects- Klinefelter's syndrome. 
• Varicocele. 

Causes of female infertility

• Thyroid . 
• Medications. 
• Benign uterine fibroids. 
• Pelvic adhesions. 
• Early menopause/premature ovarian failure. 
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) produces too much androgen hormone, which affects ovulation. 
• Ovulation disorders. 
• Hyperprolactinemia /elevated prolactin. 
• Fallopian tube damage or blockage. 
• Endometriosis. In endometriosis, the uterine tissue implants and grows outside of the uterus. 

Environmental exposure

• Pesticides and other chemicals. 
• Tobacco smoking. 
• Overheating the testicles. 
• Reduction of the number and quality of sperm is caused by the usage of cocaine or marijuana.