Many different health issues can affect a woman's ability to get pregnant. Some of the more common problems are listed below and linked to additional information.
Endometriosis occurs when the cells that normally line the uterine cavity, called endometrium (pronounced en-doh-MEE-tree-uhm), grow outside the uterus instead. A more detailed description of endometriosis can be found at the NICHD topic page for NICHD endometriosis topic page.
Research has found a link between infertility and endometriosis. Studies show that between 25% and 50% of infertile woman have endometriosis and between 30% and 40% of women with endometriosis are infertile.1,2,3 Scientists do not know the exact cause of infertility in women with endometriosis.
Some current theories on how endometriosis causes infertility include the following3:
PCOS is one of the most common causes of female infertility.4 It is a condition in which a woman's ovaries, and in some cases the adrenal glands, produce more androgens (a type of hormone) than normal. High levels of these hormones interfere with the development of ovarian follicles and release of eggs during ovulation. As a result, fluid-filled sacs, or cysts, can develop within the ovaries. A more detailed description can be found on the NICHD topic page for PCOS.
Researchers estimate that 5% to 10% of women in the United States have PCOS.4 The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but current research suggests that a combination of genetic and environmental factors leads to the disease.
POI is a condition in which a woman's ovaries stop producing hormones and producing eggs at a young age. Women with POI do not ovulate regularly, or sometimes not at all, and may have abnormal levels of hormones due to problems with their ovaries.
Women with POI often have trouble getting pregnant. However, pregnancy is still possible. About 5% to 10% of women with POI get pregnant without medical treatment.5
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous tumors that form inside the uterus. Uterine fibroids can cause symptoms in some cases, depending on their size and location. Scientists do not know what causes fibroids to form, but it is believed that there may be a genetic basis.
Fibroids can contribute to infertility and are found in 5% to 10% of infertile women.6 Fibroids located in the uterine cavity (as opposed to those that grow within the uterine wall) or those that are larger than 6 centimeters in diameter are more likely to have a negative effect on fertility. Fibroids are more likely to affect a woman's fertility if they6:
A more detailed description of uterine fibroids can be found on the NICHD Uterine Fibroid topic page.
General causes of infertility include:
The most common overall cause of infertility is the failure to ovulate, which occurs in 40% of women with infertility issues.7 Not ovulating can result from:
Structural problems usually involve the presence of abnormal tissue in the fallopian tubes or uterus.
If the fallopian tubes are blocked, eggs are not able to move from the ovaries to the uterus and sperm is not able to reach the egg for fertilization. Blockage of the fallopian tubes can be associated with:
In addition, some women are born with blockages in their fallopian tubes.
Structural problems with the uterus that may lead to infertility include:
Infections can also cause infertility. Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections that affect female fertility. More information on chlamydia can be found on the sexually transmitted infection (STI) Health Topic page.
Chronic infections in the cervix can also reduce the amount or quality of cervical mucus, the sticky or slippery substance that collects on the cervix and in the vagina. Reduced amount or quality of cervical mucus can make it difficult for women to get pregnant.10
For some women, the egg does not mature properly, resulting in fertilization failure. This can be caused by11:
Implantation failure is a common cause of infertility among couples trying to conceive with assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Causes of implantation failure include11:
Autoimmune disorders cause the body's immune system to attack normal body tissues it would normally ignore. Autoimmune disorders, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, may cause a woman's immune system to reject the egg and prevent it from implanting or cut off the blood supply to an implanted embryo.11 Autoimmune disorders may also attack sperm or the reproductive organs.
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