Symptoms of Infertility

The first obvious symptom of infertility is the inability to conceive. Unfortunately, most women or men won't discover their infertility until they have tried unsuccessfully to conceive for a period of time. Usually, it takes many tests and exams to come to the conclusion of an infertility diagnosis, but there are a few symptoms to be on the lookout for. A range of emotional and social problems and tensions between the couple regarding childlessness.

Some women experience physical symptoms associated with infertility, while others don't have any physical signs. As unpleasant as these symptoms may be, they can alert your healthcare provider to the cause of your infertility, and help speed up the diagnostic process.

For most couples, the first sign of infertility is when after a year of unprotected sex, they can’t get pregnant. It is possible to have regular cycles, a healthy sex life, not have any of the risk factors, be generally healthy, and still suffer from infertility. But for some couples, there are early warning signs or risk factors that may hint to a fertility problem, before they try for six months to a year unsuccessfully.

For women younger than 30, some health professionals will diagnose a couple with infertility and offer treatment only after 3 years of trying to become pregnant. For women over 35, some health professionals encourage beginning testing and treatment after 6 months of trying to become pregnant.
However, some men with hormonal problems may note a change in their voice or pattern of hair growth, breast enlargement or difficulty with sexual function. Infertility in women may be signaled by irregular menstrual periods or associated with conditions that cause pain during menstruation or intercourse. Infertility may also be accompanied by a wide range of emotions felt by one or both members of the couple.

The main symptom of infertility is the inability for a couple to get pregnant. There may be no other obvious symptoms of infertility.
In some cases, an infertile woman may have abnormal menstrual periods. An infertile man may have some signs of hormonal problems such as changes in hair growth or sexual function.

Infertility is the diminished ability or the inability to conceive and have offspring. Infertility is also defined in specific terms as the failure to conceive after a year of regular intercourse without contraception. Irreversible infertility is also referred to as sterility.
Male infertility occurs when the man's partner does not conceive after one year of attempting to become pregnant. Other signs and symptoms depend on the underlying cause of the man's infertility.

Infertility include a wide range of physical as well as emotional factors. Approximately 30 - 40% of all infertility is due to a "male" factor such as retrograde ejaculation, impotence, hormone deficiency, environmental pollutants, scarring from sexually transmitted disease, or decreased sperm count. Some factors affecting sperm count are heavy marijuana use or use of prescription drugs such as cimetidine, spironolactone, and nitrofurantoin.

It is important for a woman to know her body and monitor it closely. Physical changes such as irregular periods or the absence of menstruation, pelvic pain, chronic acne and weight gain can act as clues. Telling your doctor about any symptoms right away can help him/her make a diagnosis and bring you and your partner one step closer to your goal.