The definition of infertility is the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse, as 85% of couples will become pregnant within 1 year. Infertility can be due to a variety of reasons. Once a couple has been diagnosed with difficulty conceiving, a doctor will perform tests to determine the cause or causes.
Causes of Infertility
There are three conditions that must be met for conception to be possible:
If one or more of these conditions is compromised, infertility is diagnosed. Initial evaluations are individually tailored to each patient and couple, but there are a few standard tests performed to evaluate these three critical factors. These include measurements of the hormones that regulate ovulation and egg quality, imaging tests of the fallopian tubes and semen analysis (specifically volume, sperm count, sperm motility and morphology).
For about 10-20% of couples experiencing problems conceiving, even with a thorough evaluation, a cause of infertility will not be determined. This is called unexplained infertility and may be caused by intermittent symptoms such as variable sperm count, irregular ovulation or by other factors which we don’t yet understand or have developed a test to screen for the condition. Some couples with unexplained infertility successfully conceive after treatment or even without treatment.
Infertility Services at Women’s Health Institute of Macon
In our Macon location, we offer a variety of basic infertility services, including: