Risk Factors

Common risk factors for infertility include:

• Age. By 40, a woman's chance of pregnancy has decreased from 90 percent to about 70 percent. By 45, her chances decline to 15 percent.
• Emotions. Depression and stress may affect the reproductive hormones in men and women.
• Occupational and environmental risks. Prolonged exposure to high mental stress, high temperatures, chemicals, radiation, or heavy electromagnetic or microwave emissions may affect men and women.
• Sexually transmitted diseases. Many of them can cause infertility in men and women.
• Smoking. Smoking may increase the risk of infertility in women and may reduce sperm production.
• Alcohol use. Even five drinks a week can interfere with conception.
• Being overweight. Body fat that is 10 percent to 15 percent higher than normal can overload the body with estrogen, throwing off the reproductive cycle.
• Being underweight. Body fat that is 10 percent to 15 percent below normal can shut down a woman's reproductive process.
• Diet. Women with eating disorders, on very low-calorie or restrictive diets, or not getting enough vitamin B-12, zinc, iron and folic acid may have trouble getting pregnant.
• Heavy exercise. Marathon runners, dancers and others who exercise intensely may have menstrual irregularities and infertility.
• DES exposure. Men and women whose mothers took DES during pregnancy have a higher risk for infertility.
• Endometriosis.
• Hormone Abnormalities.
• Chronic disease.

More on Infertility

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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.