The Facts
Infertility is usually defined as the inability to become pregnant after
one year of sex without birth control. It affects about 10% of couples of
reproductive age. In about one-third of cases, it's attributed to the man, and
a similar proportion is due to problems in the woman. In the other third of
cases, either both partners have problems, or the cause of the infertility is
never found. There is often overlap of the causes with combined factors in up
to 20% of couples.
People shouldn't assume that they or their partners are infertile until they've
tried and failed to conceive for at least six months if the female partner is
35 years or older or for at least one year if the female partner is less than
35 years. If you still are not able to get pregnant after this time, check with
your doctor. Fortunately, it's not uncommon for couples to suddenly conceive
a child without treatment after years of trying unsuccessfully.