|
Having babies is often thought of as the most natural thing in the world. But for the one in 10 people in this country with fertility problems, becoming and staying pregnant can be a costly, physically taxing and emotionally draining ordeal. The upside is that reproductive medicine offers an ever-widening spectrum of infertility medications, surgeries, and low- and high-tech procedures that are making the dream of parenthood a reality for an increasing number of people each year. Today about half of all infertile couples who get treated ultimately get pregnant.
What is infertility?
Infertility is a disorder of the reproductive system that impairs the body's ability to conceive a baby or sustain a pregnancy. Infertility affects men and women equally. Doctors usually diagnose infertility and initiate diagnostic testing after one year of unsuccessful, well-timed attempts at getting pregnant. Often, the criteria for getting treatment include:
- Being older than 30.
- Having a history of irregular periods, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, miscarriages or other reasons to believe you may be infertile.
- Your partner has a known, low sperm count.
Scope of infertility
About 6.1 million people of reproductive age in this country are infertile. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), 85 percent to 90 percent of infertility cases are treated with conventional therapies such as medication to induce ovulation or surgery to open blocked fallopian tubes or to remove fibroid tumors from the uterus. While in vitro fertilization and related high-tech treatments get the most publicity, the ASRM points out these technologies account for less than 5 percent of infertility services rendered in the United States.
|
Related Articles
|
|
External Sources
|
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
Return to the previous page
|
