It may be that one partner cannot contribute to conception, or that a woman is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term.

It is often defined as not conceiving after 12 months of regular sexual intercourse without the use of birth control.

It is often defined as not conceiving after 12 months of regular sexual intercourse without the use of birth control.

Causes in Men

The following are common causes of infertility in men.

• Semen and sperm:
  Sometimes the sperm cannot travel effectively to meet the egg.

  Semen is the milky fluid that a man’s penis releases during orgasm. Semen consists of fluid and sperm. The fluid comes from the prostate gland, the seminal vesicle, and other sex glands. The sperm is produced in the testicles.

  
  When a man ejaculates and releases semen through the penis, the seminal fluid, or semen, helps transport the sperm toward the egg.
  
  

  The following problems are possible:

  – Low sperm count:
  The man ejaculates a low number of sperm. A sperm count of under 15 million is considered low. Around one third of couples have difficulty conceiving due to a low sperm count.
  
  

  – Low sperm mobility (motility):
  The sperm cannot “swim” as well as they should to reach the egg.
  Abnormal sperm: The sperm may have an unusual shape, making it harder to move and fertilize an egg.
  
  If the sperm do not have the right shape, or they cannot travel rapidly and accurately towards the egg, conception may be difficult.

  Up to 2 percent of men are thought to have suboptimal sperm.
  Abnormal semen may not be able to carry the sperm effectively. This can result from a medical condition like a testicular infection, cancer, or surgery.

• Overheated testicles:
  Causes include an undescended testicle, a varicocele, or varicose vein in the scrotum, the use of saunas or hot tubs, wearing tight clothes, and working in hot environments.
  
  

  Commercial Bus drivers whose Bus engine is under driver sit or Okada men can also be exposing the testicle to excessive heat unknowingly.

• Ejaculation disorders:
  
  If the ejaculatory ducts are blocked, semen may be ejaculated into the bladder.
• Hormonal imbalance:
  
  Hypogonadism, for example, can lead to a testosterone deficiency.

Other causes may include:

• Genetic factors:
  A man should have an X and Y chromosome. If he has two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome, as in Klinefelter’s syndrome, the testicles will develop abnormally and there will be low testosterone and a low sperm count or no sperm.
  
  
• Mumps:
  If this occurs after puberty, inflammation of the testicles may affect sperm production.
  
  
• Hypospadias:
  The urethral opening is under the penis, instead of its tip. This abnormality is usually surgically corrected in infancy. If the correction is not done, it may be harder for the sperm to get to the female’s cervix. Hypospadias affects about 1 in every 500 newborn boys.
  
  
• Cystic fibrosis:
  This is a chronic disease that results in the creation of a sticky mucus. This mucus mainly affects the lungs, but males may also have a missing or obstructed vas deferens. The vas deferens carries sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct and the urethra.
  
  
• Radiation therapy:
  This can impair sperm production. The severity usually depends on how near to the testicles the radiation was aimed.

Some other diseases:

Conditions that are sometimes linked to lower fertility in males are anemia, Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes, hypertension and thyroid disease.

Some medications also increase the risk of fertility problems in men:

• Sulfasalazine:
  This anti-inflammatory drug can significantly lower a man’s sperm count. It is often prescribed for Crohn’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis. Sperm count often returns to normal after stopping the medication.
• Anabolic steroids:
  Popular with bodybuilders and athletes, long-term use can seriously reduce sperm count and mobility.
• Chemotherapy:
  Some types may significantly reduce sperm count.
• Illegal drugs:
  Consumption of marijuana and cocaine can lower the sperm count.
• Age:
  Male fertility starts to fall after 40 years.
• Exposure to chemicals: Pesticides for example may increase the risk.
• Excess alcohol consumption:
  This may lower male fertility. Moderate alcohol consumption has not been shown to lower fertility in most men, but it may affect those who already have a low
  sperm count.
• Overweight or obesity:
  This may reduce the chance of conceiving.
• Mental stress:
  Stress can be a factor, especially if it leads to reduced sexual activity.

Laboratory studies have suggested that long-term acetaminophen use during pregnancy may affect Fertility in males by lowering testosterone production. Women are advised not to use the drug for more than one day.

Causes in Women

Infertility in women can also have a range of causes.

Risk factors that increase the risk include:

• Age:
  The ability to conceive starts to fall around the age of 32 years.
  
  
• Smoking:
  Smoking significantly increases the risk of infertility in both men and women, and it may undermine the effects of fertility treatment. Smoking during pregnancy increases the chance of pregnancy loss. Passive smoking has also been linked to lower fertility.
  
  
• Alcohol:
  Any amount of alcohol consumption can affect the chances of conceiving.
  
  
• Being obese or overweight:
  This can increase the risk of infertility in women as well as men.
  
  
• Eating disorders:
  If an eating disorder leads to serious weight loss, fertility problems may arise.
  
  
• Diet:
  A lack of folic acid, iron, zinc, and vitamin B-12 can affect fertility. Women who are at risk, including those on a vegan diet, should ask the doctor about supplements.
  
  
• Exercise:
  Both too much and too little exercise can lead to fertility problems.
  
  
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs):
  Chlamydia can damage the fallopian tubes in a woman and cause inflammation in a man’s scrotum. Some other STIs may also cause infertility.
  
  
• Exposure to some chemicals:
  Some pesticides, herbicides, metals, such as lead, and solvents have been linked to fertility problems in both men and women.
  
  

  A mouse study has suggested that ingredients in some household detergents may reduce fertility.
  Chemicals from cosmetics can be dangerous too.
  
  

• Mental stress:
  This may affect female ovulation and male sperm production and can lead to reduced sexual activity.
  
  

  It is very common in most African homes when a woman is excessively pressured to conceive, such pressure can cause mental stress and can lead to infertility.
  
  

• Medical conditions:
  Some medical conditions can affect fertility.
  
  
• Ovulation disorders: This appears to be the most common cause of infertility in women.
  Ovulation is the monthly release of an egg. The eggs may never be released or they may only be released in some cycles.
  
  

  Ovulation disorders can be due to:
  Premature ovarian failure: The ovaries stop working before the age of 40 years.
  
  

  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): The ovaries function abnormally and ovulation may not occur.
  
  

  Hyperprolactinemia: If prolactin levels are high, and the woman is not pregnant or breastfeeding, it may affect ovulation and fertility.
  
  

  Poor egg quality: Eggs that are damaged or develop genetic abnormalities cannot sustain a pregnancy. The older a woman is, the higher the risk.
  
  

  Thyroid problems: An overactive or underactive thyroid gland can lead to a hormonal imbalance.
  
  

  Chronic conditions: These include AIDS or cancer.

Problems in the uterus or fallopian tubes can prevent the egg from traveling from the ovary to the uterus, or womb.

If the egg does not travel, it can be harder to conceive naturally.

Causes include:

• Surgery:
  Pelvic surgery can sometimes cause scarring or damage to the fallopian tubes. Cervical surgery can sometimes cause scarring or shortening of the cervix. The cervix is the neck of the uterus.
  
  
• Submucosal fibroids:
  Benign or non-cancerous tumors occur in the muscular wall of the uterus. They can interfere with implantation or block the fallopian tube, preventing sperm from fertilizing the egg.

  Large submucosal uterine fibroids may make the uterus’ cavity bigger, increasing the distance the sperm has to travel.
  
  

• Endometriosis:
  Cells that normally occur within the lining of the uterus start growing elsewhere in the body.
  
  
• Previous sterilization treatment:
  In women who have chosen to have their fallopian tubes blocked, the process can be reversed, but the chances of becoming fertile again are not high.
  
  
• Medications, treatments, and drugs:
  Some drugs can affect fertility in a woman.
  
  
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs):
  Long-term use of aspirin or ibuprofen may make it harder to conceive.
  
  
• Chemotherapy:
  Some chemotherapy drugs can result in ovarian failure. In some cases, this may be permanent.
  
  
• Radiation therapy:
  If this is aimed near the reproductive organs, it can increase the risk of fertility problems.
  
  
• Illegal drugs: Some women who use marijuana or cocaine may have fertility problems.
  
  
• Cholesterol:
  One study has found that high cholesterol levels may have an impact on fertility in women.

Treatment:
Our Fertility and conception therapy will depend on many factors, including the age of the person who wishes to conceive, how long the infertility has lasted, personal preferences, and their general state of health.

• Frequency of intercourse:
  We may advise the couple to have sexual intercourse more often around the time of ovulation. Sperm can survive inside the female for up to 5 days, while an egg can be fertilized for up to 1 day after ovulation. In theory, it is possible to conceive on any of these 6 days that occur before and during ovulation.
  
  

  However, a survey has suggested that the 3 days most likely to offer a fertile window are the 2 days before ovulation plus the 1 day of ovulation.

  Some suggest that the number of times a couple has intercourse should be reduced to increase sperm supply, but this is unlikely to make a difference.
  
  

• Fertility treatments for men:
  Treatment will depend on the underlying cause of the infertility.
  Our herbal remedies, behavioral approaches, or both can help improve fertility and the woman will conceive.
  
  

  Is not just about using tons of medicine, we critically look at health conditions causing the problem and eliminate it through detoxification, specific dietary protocols, supplementation of some important food nutrients and herbal remedies for conception.
  
  

  All these can take some reasonable time depending on the cause(s) of the infertility.