You know you might be infertile if you can't get pregnant after a year (or six months if over 35) of regular, unprotected sex, with key signs including irregular/absent periods (women) or hormonal issues like hair/sexual function changes (men), but the only definitive way to know is through medical testing with a doctor or fertility specialist. Testing checks ovulation, hormones (FSH, LH, TSH, etc.), sperm health, and looks for underlying issues like endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease.
The main symptom of infertility is the inability to get pregnant. A menstrual cycle that's too long (35 days or more), too short (less than 21 days), irregular or absent can mean that you're not ovulating. There might be no other signs or symptoms.
Fertility tests for women
By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline happens faster once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely.
Give yourself an extra fertility boost by upping your intake of these foods:
The fertility peaks for most women when they are between 20 and 24 years old. There is an about 85% chances of conception within 1 year of trying for this age group.
What causes infertility?
Treating infertility
Risk factors
Women who are over 35 should have an evaluation after six months of trying, and women over 40 may consider an evaluation before trying to conceive. Even though male fertility is not quite as affected by age, fertility can gradually decline for men around the age of 40 much like women.
Infertility is common, affecting about 26% of women of childbearing age. Finding the cause of infertility can help direct treatment and pregnancy plans. And, in some cases, infertility can resolve on its own, usually in people with unexplained infertility.
Fertility declines with age in both men and women, but the effects of age are much greater in women. In their 30s, women are about half as fertile as they are in their early 20s, and women's chance of conception declines significantly after age 35. Male fertility also declines with age, but more gradually.
If you're younger than 35, your healthcare provider may diagnose infertility after one year (12 months) of trying to conceive. Trying to conceive is defined as having regular, unprotected sex. If you're 35 or older, your provider may diagnose infertility after six months of regular, unprotected sex.
7 signs of ovulation
Common Signs of Infertility in Women
The golden age covers the first 1000 days of a child's life, calculated from the time in the womb until the child reaches the age of two years. The golden age is a period that is very important and requires special attention from parents. During the golden age, the brain grows maximally, as does physical growth.
Statistically, we're the most fertile in our twenties and early thirties [5]. At this age, we still have a lot of eggs in our ovarian reserve and a large percentage of them are healthy. A majority of women become pregnant within a year of trying at this age [4].
Infertility is commonly caused by problems with ovulation (the monthly release of an egg from the ovaries). Some problems stop an egg being released at all, while others prevent an egg being released during some cycles but not others. Ovulation problems can be a result of: polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
The emotions of infertility are a monthly roller coaster ride from hope and anticipation to despair and grieving when your period comes yet again. Many couples feel sadness and shame. It may seem like everyone else can get pregnant easily and you can't. You may feel like you don't have control of your own body.
A light period is a period that lasts less than two days, and there is very little blood during this time. Light periods do not usually mean that you are less fertile, but it can make it more difficult for you to get pregnant.
The following tests are recommended:
To deal with the stress of infertility:
Male infertility accounts for around 40% of infertility cases, while female infertility contributes to approximately 40% of cases. In the remaining 20 % of cases, infertility is attributed to a combination of factors involving both partners or unexplained causes.
Infertility can be an incredibly isolating and lonely experience, and this is often made worse by a lack of compassion and understanding from people in your life, as well as being on the receiving end of well-meaning, but unhelpful or hurtful, advice and platitudes.