Female fertility can be a mystery, but the reproductive specialists at UNC Fertility share some facts to give you a better understanding.
- Ovulation problems are the number one cause of female infertility. Irregular periods could signify a lack of ovulation, which could be caused by PCOS. Other causes for female infertility include Primary Ovarian Insufficiency, in which the ovaries do not function before 40 years old; fibroids in the uterus; and fallopian tube blockage.
- Only 1/3 of infertile couples are due to the female partner only. Another one-third is due to the male partner, and the final third is a combination of both partners or due to unknown causes.
- As many as 20% of women in the United States have their first child when they are 35 years old or older.
- A woman’s ability to have a baby declines with age due to a lower number of total eggs, and an overall decline in the health of the eggs that are left.
- Over 10% of women (7.4 million) have received some sort of infertility treatment.
- Sixty-five percent of women who seek fertility treatment successfully have a baby.
- Up to 90% of infertile women are successfully treated solely with medications or surgery. Less than three percent resorted to IVF.
- Women who smoke are less fertile, and are more likely to suffer a miscarriage.
- About 12% of infertile women are under or over weight, but it is possible to reverse infertility by maintaining a healthy weight.
- A woman’s choice of birth control could have an effect on fertility. For example, Depo-Provera shot users may have to wait six months to a year for normal fertility to resume.
Learn more about infertility in women. And be sure to schedule an initial consultation with our North Carolina fertility specialists if you have any concerns.