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FAQs - Infertility

If a woman is trying to conceive and she has not been successful, how long should she wait before consulting with a doctor?
Healthy women less than 30 years old should consult a doctor only after one year of trying to conceive.  Women over the age of 30 can consult their doctors after six months because fertility declines with age.

Why does a woman’s fertility decrease with age?
As a woman gets older, her ovaries are less efficient at releasing eggs ready to be fertilized.  The quality of those eggs decreases as well.  Older women are also more likely to experience health problems that can affect fertility and more likely to miscarry.

Why do some men have low sperm count?
There are many potential causes of low sperm count including hormonal problems, injury or failure to the testes, presence of sperm antibodies which attack the sperm, drug use, blocked or retrograde (into the bladder rather than through the penis) ejaculation or genetic problems.

What are the success rates of infertility treatments?

Success rates for artificial insemination depend on a variety of factors, including why a couple is infertile.  In general, couples having difficulty getting pregnant and using artificial insemination are twice as likely to get pregnant as through natural conception. Success rates begin to decline in women over 35 years of age and decline significantly for women over 40.

 

As with artificial insemination the success rates of IVF treatment vary based on the viability of the embryos, the age of the woman, and the quality of sperm. Data from the United States  indicate that approximately 37% of women under the age of 36 who use IVF have a successful pregnancy. This number decreased to 28% for women between the ages of 36 and 39 is 28, and declined further to 13% for women over the age of 40.

Are there any complications associated with infertility treatment?
Women undergoing fertility treatment may experience some complications.  These include: multiple pregnancies, ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome (OHSS) in which the ovaries become larger and painful, bleeding or infection, and low birth weight.  More research is currently being conducted to determine if there is a link between ART and birth defects.  Another concern for further study under study  is whether there is an association ovarian cancer and fertility drugs.
  
 

For a comprehensive list of questions on infertility go to The National Women’s Health Information Center and American Society of Reproductive Medicine
  
                                                                    
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