Today an increasing number of people wishing for a child are facing involuntary infertility. As many as one in six couples may suffer from involuntary infertility at some point in their lives. Fortunately marked advances have been made in the treatment of infertility, resulting in improved outcomes.
Only about one woman out of six succeeds in becoming pregnant on the first attempt. For this reason it is recommended that efforts to conceive are made for about one year before resorting to infertility treatment.
One shouldn’t always wait for an entire year, however. An earlier examination is called for if the woman’s menstrual cycle is irregular. Also, one shouldn’t wait too long, if there is any reason to suspect a problem in the fallopian tubes. Women over 35 years of age should seek treatment more rapidly. The woman’s age affects not only the probability of becoming pregnant, but also the success of the treatments. A woman is most fertile at the age of 20 – 25 years.
Two out of three couples facing involuntary infertility decide to seek help. Today most can be helped and three out of four eventually have the child they have been longing for. Currently almost three percent of all newborns in Finland were conceived after assisted reproduction.
The cause of infertility is found just as often in the woman as in the man or in both. For a number of couples, the cause will remain unknown. Causes for female-related infertility include ovulation disorders, blockage of fallopian tubes, endometriosis and various uterine malformations. Male-related causes include various disturbances in sperm production. They can be congenital or caused by infections, various medical substances, toxins or antisperm antibodies. Most often, however, the cause for weak sperm remains unknown.