The primary sign of infertility in women is the inability to get pregnant after regular, unprotected sex, but other signs include irregular, absent, or very heavy/painful periods, which signal ovulation problems (like PCOS), and signs of hormonal changes such as sudden acne, unexplained weight changes, or excess hair growth (hirsutism). Other indicators can be recurrent miscarriages, pelvic pain, or pain during intercourse, often pointing to underlying conditions like endometriosis or blocked fallopian tubes.
Tests to find out the cause of infertility in women include:
Aside from having trouble conceiving, symptoms can vary significantly from one person to another. Depending on the reason for infertility, sometimes women may experience pelvic pain, heavy periods, skipped periods or unpredictable vaginal bleeding. It's important to discuss any unusual symptoms with your doctor.
The main symptom of infertility is not getting pregnant. There may be no other clear symptoms. Some women with infertility may have irregular menstrual periods or no periods. And some men may have some symptoms of hormonal problems, such as changes in hair growth or sexual function.
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.
Yes, you can purchase at-home fertility tests online or at your local pharmacy. There are urine (pee) tests that can show your most fertile days each month. Other tests can check the health and volume of your semen. It's important to note that an at-home fertility test isn't a substitute for a fertility specialist.
Certain factors may put you at higher risk of infertility, including:
Fertility tests might include: Ovulation testing. An at-home, over-the-counter ovulation prediction kit detects the surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) that occurs before ovulation. A blood test for progesterone — a hormone produced after ovulation — can also document that you're ovulating.
The biggest sign that you could have infertility is if you're unable to get pregnant after 1 year of regular, unprotected sex (or after 6 months if you're a woman or person AFAB who is 35 and older).
What causes infertility?
The most common sign of infertility is being unable to get pregnant despite having regular, unprotected sex. Other signs may include absent or irregular periods.
Signs of Potential Infertility in Women
Changes in the menstrual cycle and ovulation may indicate underlying issues related to female infertility. Common symptoms include: Abnormal periods: Menstrual bleeding may be heavier or lighter than usual. Irregular periods: The length of the menstrual cycle varies each month.
Complications from infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can block your fallopian tubes. Similarly, certain conditions can affect your uterus and cause secondary infertility. Scarring from certain procedures can interfere with pregnancy.
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.
Infertility is usually only diagnosed when a couple have not managed to conceive after a year of trying. There are 2 types of infertility: primary infertility – where someone who's never conceived a child in the past has difficulty conceiving.
Infertility affects both men and and women. Infertility is very common. In the United States, 1 in 5 women between 15 and 49 years old struggle with primary infertility and about 1 in 20 women struggle with secondary infertility. Approximately 48 million couples live with infertility around the world.
You are most fertile around the time an egg is released, and this is when you should plan to have sex. For most people, the easiest and least expensive way to figure out when you're ovulating is to track your periods on a calendar. Ovulation typically happens about 14 days before your period starts.
Some women who are underweight or obese will have problems getting pregnant and often this is due to the ovaries not releasing an egg (ovulation issues). Body mass index in the obese range can lead to irregular periods (menstrual cycles) and lack of ovulation.
Give yourself an extra fertility boost by upping your intake of these foods:
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 following tests are recommended:
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.
A study in the medical journal Reproductive Toxicology found that those who took supplemental folate and vitamins B6 and B12 lowered their homocysteine levels, which improved the odds of successful conception in women with recurrent pregnancy loss.