Fertility Problems: Cause
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Cause
Infertility has many causes that involve either the woman's, the man's, or both partners' reproductive systems. Some causes include:
- Problems with the man's reproductive system.
- Problems with the woman's fallopian tubes.
- Problems with the woman's uterus and/or cervix.
- Problems with ovulation.
- Uncommon problems such as the man or woman having been exposed before birth to DES, a medicine that was used to prevent miscarriage.
Rates of infertility and miscarriage increase with age. A woman's fertility peaks in her late 20s and gradually begins to decline in her early 30s. A more pronounced drop in fertility and increase in miscarriage risk begins around her mid-30s, primarily due to the aging egg supply. Male fertility also decreases with age but it is a more gradual decline than in women.
| Last updated: | March 21, 2008 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Sandy Jocoy, RN |
| Reviewed By: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine, Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Editors: | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC |
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