Couples who can’t get pregnant within a year of having regular sex without birth control have infertility. Knowing what causes infertility helps them plan how to stop it from happening and catch problems early. Different factors will harm both women’s and men’s reproductive health. Here are a few risk factors for infertility:
What Causes Infertility?
Infertility can have many different causes, affecting either partner. In some cases, doctors are unable to pinpoint an exact reason. However, some common causes include:
- Irregular or Absent Ovulation – When a woman’s body doesn’t release an egg regularly, making it difficult to conceive.
- Poor Sperm Quality – Issues with sperm count, movement, or shape can affect fertility.
- Blocked or Damaged Fallopian Tubes – These tubes connect the ovaries to the womb, and blockages can prevent fertilization.
- Endometriosis – A condition where tissue similar to the womb lining grows in other parts of the body, potentially interfering with conception.
If you’re struggling with fertility, consulting a specialist can help identify possible causes and explore treatment options.
6 Risk Factors for Infertility
1. Age
When women get older, they have fewer eggs, which are not as good for creating a baby. As women advance in age, their natural ability to have children starts to decrease. Genetic problems may also be more likely to occur, making it difficult to conceive a healthy baby. Men’s ability to reproduce declines as they get older because their sperm quality worsens. As both partners get older, their chances of having a baby together are lower.
2. Lifestyle
Smoking harms reproductive health and speeds up how fast women lose their eggs. Heavy drinking throws off hormone levels and makes women’s periods happen less regularly.
- When a person has a lot of extra weight, it impacts the hormone levels that control egg release and keeps reproductive health from working well in both men and women.
- A woman’s menstrual cycle stops completely when her body weight is too low.
- Drugs harm sperm creation and can permanently damage reproductive health.Â
3. Medical Conditions
Polycystic ovary syndrome makes women’s normal release of eggs irregular and disturbs their hormone balance. Endometriosis leads to swelling and scar tissue that can seriously harm how reproductive organs work and reduce the chances of getting pregnant. Fibroids growing in the uterus can block the embryo from attaching properly and make it difficult to keep a pregnancy going. Thyroid problems lead to widespread hormone changes that harm both fertility and pregnancy results. Men who have varicocele develop problems with sperm production, and high temperatures harm the testicles and disrupt their blood flow.
4. Environmental FactorsÂ
When workers handle chemicals and pesticides for a long time, their reproductive organs may become worse. Being around high temperatures on a routine basis can lower sperm count and quality. Radiation harms reproductive cells and causes permanent damage. Toxins in our environment affect how hormones work and lead to reproductive health issues as time goes on.
5. Sexually Transmitted Infections
If infections are not treated, they lead to lasting harm by scarring and swelling reproductive parts. Infections that cause pelvic inflammatory disease can block the tubes needed for natural pregnancy. Having reproductive tract infections earlier in life can cause problems that last for years, even after you get better.
Some sexually transmitted diseases can directly reduce sperm health and cause reproductive problems. The lasting effects of inflammation from infections make it hard for both partners to have children in the future.
6. Medication and Treatment Effects
Chemotherapy and other cancer treatments can permanently change how your reproductive system works. Regular medicines for ongoing health issues can disrupt reproductive hormones, and taking antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs may gradually change how you feel about sex and upset your hormone levels. Taking anti-inflammatory drugs over a long time can disrupt your monthly ovulation and make getting pregnant harder. When you stop taking some prescription drugs, the fertility problems may start to dissipate, depending on the medication type.
| Type of Medication/Treatment | Effect on Fertility |
|---|---|
| Chemotherapy & Cancer Treatments | May cause permanent reproductive damage |
| Medications for Chronic Illnesses | Can disrupt reproductive hormones |
| Antidepressants & Psychiatric Drugs | May lower sexual desire and affect hormone balance |
| Long-term Anti-inflammatory Use | Can interfere with ovulation and make pregnancy difficult |
| Stopping Certain Medications | Fertility may improve depending on the drug and duration |
Boost Your Reproductive Health
Knowing these risks helps people choose when and how to start a family based on their reproductive health. Some fertility risks come from things you can’t change, like getting older or having a particular illness, while others may improve if you adjust your daily habits and get preventive health care. Getting help early and seeing your doctor regularly will help you control many risk factors. Reach out to your doctor to learn about the best ways to save your fertility and explore treatment possibilities.