Trying to Conceive?

If you've been trying to get pregnant for more than a year, you may have infertility.

Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system that impairs one of the body's most basic functions: the conception of children. Conception is a complicated process that depends upon many factors:

• on the production of healthy sperm by the man and healthy eggs by the woman;
• unblocked fallopian tubes that allow the sperm to reach the egg;
• the sperm's ability to fertilize the egg when they meet;
• the ability of the fertilized egg (embryo) to become implanted in the woman's uterus;
• and sufficient embryo quality.

Finally, for the pregnancy to continue to full term, the embryo must be healthy and the woman's hormonal environment adequate for its development.

When just one of these factors is impaired, infertility can result.

Learn more about why infertility occurs and how to treat it. ASRM has several publications that can help.

Start with the ASRM Topic Index where you can find information on: 

• Infertility 
• Female Infertility (accounts for 35% of problems conceiving)
• Male Infertility (accounts for 35% of problems conceiving)
• Unexplained Infertility 

ASRM also houses publications written with you in mind such as: 

• ASRM Fact Sheets and Booklets where you can find titles such as:
  • Diagnostic Testing for Male Infertility 
  • Diagnostic Testing for Female Infertility
  • Infertility: An Overview 
   

• Quick Facts About Infertility 

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Infertility 

• Information About State Laws Concerning Infertility Insurance Coverage 

Or find out what your physician is reading: 

• ASRM Practice Guidelines, including:
• Optimizing natural fertility 
• Diagnostic Evaluation of the Infertile Female  
• Diagnostic Evaluation of the Infertile Male