Having a baby is not always easy, especially for couples who are infertile. There are lots of different causes of infertility which is why it often takes a long time to get the treatment that is right for you.

What are the causes of infertility?

Contrary to what is commonly believed, infertility is not principally a woman’s problem, and the causes of infertility in both men and women are highly complex. There are just as many cases of male infertility as there are of female infertility.  However, due to the complexity of the reproductive process, there are many more causes of female infertility than there are causes of male infertility. This section offers you more information about the most common causes of female infertility and the most common causes of male infertility.

Women are responsible for:

• The production of the egg
• The migration of the egg in the Fallopian tubes
• The production of cervical mucus
• The proper implantation of the egg in the womb
• The development of the embryo (baby)
• Whether the egg is able to be penetrated by the sperm

Men are responsible for:

• The production of semen
• The deposition of the sperm

Couples require different types of treatment depending on the cause of infertility: for some couples, the treatment may be as simple as carefully monitoring their ovulation, while other couples might need to undergo infertility treatments such as clomid or procedures such as ovulation induction, IVF, ICSI, or IUI. You may have to take a number of fertility tests to determine the cause of infertility.

Causes of Infertility

Many factors can affect your fertility such as:

• Age
• Hormonal imbalance
• Ovulation disorders (e.g. PCOS or thyroid problems)
• Fallopian tubes
• Sperm production
• Endometriosis
• Uterine problems

For around 25% of couples, a cause cannot be identified.

Irregular cycles

There are many factors that can lead to irregular cycles, but most commonly it is due to hormonal imbalance such as PCOS or thyroid disorders. Lifestyle factors that can affect your cycles include being extremely under or overweight, excessive exercise and stress.

PCOS, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Women with PCOS can have a wide range of symptoms attached to this condition, some will be able to conceive naturally without medical intervention whilst others will require medical intervention to help them conceive. It is generally accepted that ovulation tests are often not suitable for women with PCOS as the tests can give false readings.

Unexplained infertility

By definition, this refers to couples for which the medical community has not been able to identify the cause of infertility. This can be particularly frustrating for couples as they do not feel that there is much that they can do.

The DuoFertility program was specifically designed with infertile couples in mind. It is personalized to your individual circumstances that even couples experiencing difficulties conceiving can use it.