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What are the causes of infertility among couples who use ART?
Figure 6 shows the primary diagnoses reported for infertility among couples who
had an ART procedure in 1997. Although some couples have more than one cause of
infertility, only one is reported as primary. In addition, diagnostic procedures
and categories may vary from one clinic to another, so the categorization may be
inexact.
- Tubal factor usually means that the woman's fallopian tubes are
blocked or damaged, making it difficult for the egg to be fertilized or for an
embryo to travel to the uterus.
- Male factor usually refers to a low sperm count or problems with
sperm function that make it difficult for a sperm to fertilize an egg under
normal conditions.
- Endometriosis involves the presence of tissue similar to the
uterine lining in abnormal locations. This condition can affect both egg
fertilization and embryo implantation.
- Ovulatory dysfunction means that the ovaries are not producing
eggs normally or that egg production has diminished with age.
- Unexplained cause means that no cause of infertility was found in
either the woman or the man.
- Other causes of infertility include immunological problems,
chromosomal abnormalities, cancer chemotherapy, and serious illnesses.
- Uterine factor means a disorder of the uterus that results in
reduced fertility.
(chart courtesy: The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention (CDC))
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