Infertility is usually defined as the inability of a couple to achieve a pregnancy after repeated intercourse without contraception for 1 year.
Frequent intercourse without birth control usually results in pregnancy:
- For 50% of couples within 3 months
- For 75% within 6 months
- For 90% within 1 year
To maximize the chance of pregnancy, couples should have frequent intercourse in the 6—and particularly the 3 days—before the ovaries release an egg (ovulation). Ovulation usually occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle, which is about halfway between the first day of one period and the first day of the next.
Two of the more common methods women can use to estimate when ovulation occurs are
- Measurement of body temperature at rest (basal body temperature)
- Home ovulation predictor kits (probably the best way)
If women have regular periods, they can estimate when ovulation occurs by measuring their temperature each day before they get out of bed. A decrease suggests that ovulation is about to occur. An increase of 0.9° F (0.5° C) or more suggests ovulation has just occurred. However, this method is inconvenient for many women and is not reliable or precise. At best, it predicts ovulation only within 2 days.
Home ovulation prediction kits are more accurate. These kits are used to detect an increase in luteinizing hormone in the urine. (This hormone stimulates the ovaries to trigger ovulation.) Usually, this increase occurs 24 to 36 hours before ovulation. Women usually need to repeat the test for several consecutive days, so kits typically include five to seven sticks. The sticks can be held under a stream of urine or dipped into urine that is collected in a sterile container.
Whether estimating when ovulation will occur increases the chance of pregnancy for a couple who have intercourse regularly is unknown. However, estimating when ovulation will occur is likely to help couples who do not have intercourse regularly estimate when the best time for intercourse is.
Up to one in five couples in the United States do not conceive for at least a year and are thus considered infertile. However, of the couples who have not conceived after a year of trying, more than 60% conceive eventually, with or without treatment.
Treatment of Infertility
- Treatment of the cause
- Sometimes drugs
- Sometimes assisted reproductive techniques
- Measures to lessen stress, including counseling and support
The goals of treatment are
- To treat the cause of infertility if possible
- To make conception more likely
- To reduce the time needed to conceive
Even when no cause of infertility can be identified, the couple may still be treated. In such cases, the woman may be given drugs that stimulate several eggs to mature and be
released—so-called fertility drugs. Examples are clomiphene, letrozole, and human gonadotropins. A woman’s chances of becoming pregnant are about 10 to 15% with each month of such treatment.
Alternatively, doctors may use assisted reproductive techniques, such as
- An intrauterine insemination technique that selects only the most active sperm,which are then placed directly in the uterus
- In vitro fertilization, which involves stimulating the ovaries, retrieving the mature eggs, fertilizing them with sperm in culture dishes (in vitro), growing the embryosin the culture, and implanting one or more embryos in the woman’s uterus
While a couple is being treated for infertility, one or both partners may experience frustration, emotional stress, feelings of inadequacy, and guilt. They may alternate
between hope and despair. Feeling isolated and unable to communicate, they may become angry at or resentful toward each other, family members, friends, or the doctor.
The emotional stress can lead to fatigue, anxiety, sleep or eating disturbances, and an inability to concentrate. In addition, the financial burden and time commitment
involved in diagnosis and treatment can cause marital strife.
These problems can be lessened if both partners are involved in and are given information about the treatment process (including how long it takes), regardless of which one has the diagnosed problem. Knowing what the chances of success are, as well as realizing that treatment may not be successful and cannot continue indefinitely, can help a couple cope with the stress.
Information about the following is also helpful:
- When to end treatment
- When to seek a second opinion
- When to consider adoption
For example, if pregnancy has not occurred after 3 years of attempting it or after 2 years of being treated for infertility, the chance of pregnancy is low and adoption can be
considered. Ideally, couples should ask for this information before treatment is begun.
Counseling and psychologic support, including support groups such as RESOLVE and Path2Parenthood, can help.
More Information
- RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association
- Path2Parenthood