Fertility
About infertility, its causes and treatment options
Fertility issues are common. Around one in 6 couples in Australia will experience infertility at some point. Experts estimate that infertility happens because of:
- female infertility in 40% of cases
- male infertility in 20% of cases
Sometimes infertility is a combination of male and female infertility. About 1 in 4 cases of infertility has no cause that doctors can find.
What is fertility?
Fertility simply means how easy it is to conceive. Around 80% of couples will conceive within one year if the woman is under 40, they’re not using contraception and they have sex about every 2 to 3 days.
What is infertility?
Infertility is the term used for when you don’t conceive, despite having regular unprotected sex. If you’ve been trying to fall pregnant for a year or so without success, doctors usually recommend some testing to find out what’s going on.
For women, infertility can be caused by problems with ovulation or with implantation (when a fertilised egg fails to implant in the lining of the uterus). There are a number of conditions that may affect ovulation or implantation, including:
Being overweight or underweight can impact fertility, and excessive exercise can affect reproductive hormonal levels.
What helps fertility in women?
Generally, women have higher fertility when we:
- are younger
- have good general health (e.g. healthy weight, regular exercise and a balanced diet)
don’t smoke, consume too much alcohol or use recreational drugs
How do you test for fertility in women?
If you’ve had difficulties falling pregnant, you could take a fertility test. A fertility blood test for women measures certain hormones that influence fertility, including:
- progesterone
- oestrogen
- follicle stimulating hormone
- luteinising hormone
- thyroid stimulating hormone
- prolactin
- anti-mullerian hormone (indicates the number of eggs still in your ovaries).
You may also benefit from imaging tests such as an ultrasound or X-ray to help diagnose other health issues that cause infertility. It’s a good idea to test fertility in both partners at around the same time.
What should I do if I think I’m infertile?
If you’re having trouble falling pregnant, or if you are concerned about infertility, Venus Women’s Clinics can help. We offer evidence-backed quality diagnosis and management of infertility. Put your health first with the caring and compassionate health professionals at Venus Women’s Clinics.
