How Common Is Infertility?
One of the most frequently asked questions by couples having difficulty conceiving is: How common is infertility? And the truth is, infertility is actually quite common—nearly 50 million couples worldwide are affected by infertility issues, which equates to roughly 15% of all couples who are of reproductive age.
Infertility can affect both men and women and be caused by a variety of factors, including hormonal imbalances, issues with reproductive organs, genetic disorders, and lifestyle factors. Luckily, there are plenty of options out there that can improve your fertility chances, and not all of them require a medical procedure or cost thousands of dollars.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at some of the main infertility causes, as well as offer up some tips for naturally increasing your chances of becoming pregnant.
Infertility Meaning
Generally speaking, infertility means an inability to conceive. The medical community considers a couple infertile if they’ve been trying to get pregnant for a year or more without success. A woman over the age of 35 will typically receive an infertility diagnosis if she hasn’t become pregnant after six months of trying. Women who are 40 and older usually receive an immediate fertility evaluation.
Infertility Facts
As mentioned above, infertility is a very common problem worldwide and affects both males and females. In fact, male factor infertility is a major contributing cause of all cases of infertility for couples.
Here are some facts about infertility in the United States:
- 1 in 8 couples faces fertility challenges
- Nearly 20% of all couples fail to get pregnant after one year of unprotected sex
- 10% of couples can’t conceive after two years of unprotected sex
- 1 in 3 Americans have sought out fertility treatments or knows someone who has
Infertility Causes for Men and Women
There are a number of different infertility causes, and in many cases, the cause of infertility can be attributed to a combination of issues experienced by both the male and female partners. Sometimes, no cause at all can be pinpointed. In other cases, there are specific causes, such as age and cancer treatments, that are beyond a person’s control. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity, on the other hand, affect fertility in both males and females but can more easily be corrected.
There are, however, a few causes of infertility that are gender-specific:
Common Causes of Female Infertility
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – A hormonal disorder that leads to an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone levels, making it difficult to conceive by causing irregular menstrual cycles.
- Endometriosis – A common condition in which uterine lining tissue grows on the outside of the uterus, which can lead to inflammation and cause scarring and damage to the fallopian tubes, thus making it more difficult for the sperm to fertilize the egg.
Common Causes of Male Infertility
- Varicocele – The enlargement of veins within a man’s testicles that affects the number and shape of the sperm, reducing the chances of fertilization.
- Overactive Hypothalamus or Pituitary Glands – Too much production of certain proteins or other conditions that damage the hypothalamus and pituitary glands can result in a low sperm count.
Natural Ways to Improve Fertility Chances
- Talk to a Doctor – Before you do anything, it’s important to speak with a doctor or OB/GYN about your individual situation. They can give you a physical exam to check for any underlying issues and can provide information about ovulation cycle tracking and intercourse planning.
- Focus on Diet – Eating foods rich in antioxidants can improve fertility rates, particularly in men, as can cutting out trans fats, avoiding refined sugar and carbs, and eating more plant-based proteins.
- Get Active and De-Stress – Living a sedentary lifestyle with high stress levels is strongly linked with infertility. Moderate exercise (emphasis on moderate) is a great way to not only lose weight but to help manage your stress and anxiety as well.
- Use Natural Supplements – Natural supplements are packed with key nutrients that your body requires for a healthy reproductive system. Incorporating supplements such as maca, bee pollen, royal jelly, and CoQ10 can be key to helping to fill in the nutritional gaps in your diet.
For instance, UBIQ, a doctor-designed, science-based supplement from Yad-Tech, is a reduced form of CoQ10, a powerful antioxidant that is present in the membrane of every cell in the body and is necessary for mitochondrial ATP synthesis. Incorporating a natural supplement like UBIQ into your daily routine may help to improve both egg and sperm health while also playing a role in protecting DNA at the cellular level. Now that you know how common infertility really is, and you’re interested in researching natural supplements that just might be able to help with your fertility issues, check out Yad-Tech’s extensive selection of products today!