Infertility in couples may be caused by a combination of both male and female factors, or one partner who has a condition they’re not aware of. It’s important to remember that no-one is to blame for infertility, but that this should be seen as a challenge which you can overcome together.
In women, trouble conceiving can be caused by a variety of physical and hormonal issues. Some conditions, such as PCOS, often remain undiagnosed for years until the patient struggles to fall pregnant.
Uterine abnormalities present from birth, and fallopian tube blockage or damage may also make it harder for her to conceive. Thankfully, most of the common infertility causes in women can be treated, or corrected through surgery, and coupled with an assisted conception technique like IVF, there is normally a high chance you’ll be able to have a healthy pregnancy and child!
In men, low sperm production or unusual sperm morphology (which makes it harder for them to enter the egg cell) are the most common causes of infertility. It is only in very rare instances that no sperm is present at all.
This means that where a couple is experiencing male factor infertility, techniques such as IMSI and ICSI – where a single sperm is actually placed inside the egg cell – have a very high chance of success.
Should both partners have a contributing infertility factor, there are still options available. These include the use of donor egg or sperm, embryos, or the use of a surrogate to carry your child to term for you.