Infertility is defined as a couple's inability to become pregnant after 1 year of sex without birth control. From 10% to 15% of couples attempting to have a child have infertility problems.
Rates of infertility (not due to surgical sterilization) in women increase with age:1
- 7% in women ages 20 to 24
- 9% in women ages 25 to 29
- 15% in women ages 30 to 34
- 22% in women ages 35 to 39
- 29% in women ages 40 to 44
Rates of miscarriage (early loss of pregnancy) also increase with age:2
- 7% to 15% in women younger than 30
- 8% to 21% in women ages 30 to 34
- 17% to 28% in women ages 35 to 39
- 34% to 52% in women age 40 and older
The number of infertile couples seeking medical help with conception has risen in recent years because:
- Couples are postponing childbearing until later in life.
- Some remarried couples begin childbearing in their later 30s or 40s.
- More people have had sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which can decrease fertility.
- Some people may be exposed to chemicals (such as lead) or environmental toxins (such as pesticides) at work.
The number of couples seeking treatment for infertility has risen dramatically in recent years due to:
- The development of new technologies to treat infertility and the success of assisted reproductive programs.
- Greater social acceptability of infertility treatment.
- A decrease in the number of infants available in the United States for adoption.
References
Citations
Mishell DR Jr (2001). Infertility. In MA Stenchever et al., eds., Comprehensive Gynecology, 4th ed., pp. 1169–1215. St. Louis: Mosby.
Speroff L, Fritz MA (2005). Recurrent early pregnancy loss. In Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility, 7th ed., pp. 1069–1101. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Credits
| Author | Bets Davis, MFA |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Michele Cronen |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Associate Editor | Terrina Vail |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Last Updated | April 7, 2006 |
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