Signs and Symptoms of Infertility

Fertility issues are not just for women; males have issues with infertility at least 40 percent of the time.


A woman's fertility naturally declines as she gets older. By the time most women reach about 38 years old, they are not able to ovulate as well as they once could. When age is not a factor, however, and no other discernable reason for a decline in fertility exists, testing should be done to figure out where a fertility problem may lie.

There are several reasons that aging decreases a worman's fertility and they include the diminished ablility of the ovaries to release eggs, and the reduced health of the eggs. Also, older women are prone to general health problems that can interfere with their fertility, and have an elevated risk for miscarriage.

Highest fertility is in a woman's twenties, followed by an increasing difficulty in conceiving in her thirties - with her ovaries not producing eggs the way they once did. Women who choose to drink and/or smoke have a higher rate of infertility. Nowadays, more women are choosing to have their first child around thirty-five or older, so aging is a common fertility problem today more than ever.

Infertility is categorized as primary or secondary, with primary being when a woman does not conceive after trying regularly for a year. Secondary in when a woman can't conceive a second time (after being successful with a first pregnancy).

Men and women both have infertility issues with the ratio, some experts say, of fifty-fifty; others say women have 60 percent to males' 40 percent infertility. On average, about one in ten of couples have difficulty conceiving, and four out of five will conceive within a year of trying. Up to two years is considered a normal amount of time for couples to conceive.

Often both partners must go through comprehensive medical exams to assess their fertility. This is because there is a misconception that only the female has the fertility issue, when it's often the male who is the source of the problem.

Normally, the first tests done will be (for the woman) a test for the levels of her LH (Luteinizing Hormone) and her FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone). This is done on the woman's first and third visits to her doctor. On a side-note, the tests for FSH and LH can be done on the male as well, if necessary. This is because FSH and LH are critical in the maturation and health of the male sperm.

Other tests that are commonly done on the female include the cervical mucus test, ultrasound tests, and hormone tests other than for LH and FSH. The cervical mucus test is not done very often, but it is done 2 to 8 hours after intercourse to determine if the sperm is present and moving normally. Often a bacterial screening is also done at this time.

Ultrasound imaging is utilized to examine the girth of the uterus lining, observe follicle development, and to see the general condition of the ovaries and the uterus. The nice thing about ultrasound is the non-invasive nature of the testing. It can also be done to determine if an egg has been dropped.

In addition to testing for the hormones LH and FSH, tests can be administered to detect the presence and levels of progesterone, estradiol, prolactin, total testosterone, free T3, free testosterone, androstenedione, and DHEAS.