Female Infertility

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

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• Living With
• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

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• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

Infertility means not being able to get pregnant after at least one year of trying (or 6 months if the woman is over age 35). If a woman keeps having miscarriages, it is also called infertility. Female infertility can result from age, physical problems, hormone problems, and lifestyle or environmental factors.

Most cases of infertility in women result from problems with producing eggs. In primary ovarian insufficiency, the ovaries stop functioning before natural menopause. In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the ovaries may not release an egg regularly or they may not release a healthy egg.

About a third of the time, infertility is because of a problem with the woman. One third of the time, it is a problem with the man. Sometimes no cause can be found.

If you think you might be infertile, see your doctor. There are tests that may tell if you have fertility problems. When it is possible to find the cause, treatments may include medicines, surgery, or assisted reproductive technologies. Happily, many couples treated for infertility are able to have babies.

Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health

Start Here

• Infertility (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
• Reproductive Infertility (Endocrine Society)
• Trying to Conceive (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
• What Are Some Causes of Infertility? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Anti-Müllerian Hormone Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Diagnostic Testing for Female Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)
• Estrogen Levels Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Levels Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)
• Hysterosalpingography (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Hysteroscopy (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Karyotype Genetic Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Laparoscopy (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Levels Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Pelvic laparoscopy - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Progesterone Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Prolactin Levels (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Sonohysterography (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Assisted Reproductive Technology: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Fertility Treatments for Females (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Medications for Inducing Ovulation (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Ovarian Drilling for Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF
• Treatments for Diseases that Cause Infertility (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Living With

• Weight and Fertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Exposure and Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Fertility Issues in Girls and Women with Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Side Effects of Injectable Fertility Drugs (Gonadotropins) (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)

Specifics

• Endometriosis: Does It Cause Infertility? (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Fallopian Tubes: Is Pregnancy Possible with Only One? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• What Age-Related Factors May Be Involved with Infertility in Females and Males? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Recurrent hydatidiform mole: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Videos and Tutorials

• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Ovulation (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Infertility, Female (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: The effects of hydroxychloroquine on pregnancy outcomes in infertile women: a...
• Article: Letrozole cotreatment improves the follicular output rate in high-body-mass-index women with...
• Article: Inflammatory bowel disease can reduce ovarian reserve function in women: A...
• Female Infertility -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Female Reproductive System (National Cancer Institute)

Find an Expert

• Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health Also in Spanish
• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Also in Spanish
• Find an Ob-Gyn (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)

Patient Handouts

• Estradiol blood test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Luteinizing hormone (LH) blood test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Prolactin blood test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish