Common Causes of Female and Male Infertility

By Daniel Kort, MD

According to the World Health Organization, for couples aged 35 or younger, infertility is “a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.” For couples older than 35 years old, it is diagnosed after 6 months of having unprotected, well-timed intercourse.

Infertility can be caused by one or more factors for both men and women. It is important to recognize the signs of when a couple should take the first steps to see a doctor to learn about their options.

Female Infertility

There are many reasons that contribute to female infertility. Some reasons may involve disorders that interrupts ovulation and the development and release of a viable egg. Some common reasons include:

• Blockage of the Fallopian tubes
• Endometriosis
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
• Adhesions
• Scarring
• Diminished Ovarian Reserve
• Ovarian Failure Caused by Age or Other Factors
• Defect in the Female Reproductive System

Male Fertility

With male infertility, problems mainly involve the production and delivery of sperm. For men, sperm problems may involve the quantity, motility, and/or morphology of the sperm:

• Sperm Quantity – measures the number of sperm cells. It is caused by low sperm count (oligospermia) or no sperm count (azoospermia).
• Sperm Motility – refers to the movement and swimming of sperm. It is measured as the percentage of moving sperm cells in a sample.
• Sperm Morphology – refers to the shape of the sperm. Normal sperm have an oval head with a long tail. Abnormal sperm have head or tail defects