Health Conditions

Who has it?

In the United States, the number of individuals treated for infertility problems is on the rise. One reason may be that many individuals are marrying later and couples are waiting to start their families. The chance of infertility is higher in women who are in their late 30s and 40s. Another reason may be that infertile couples are more open about asking for medical help than they might have been a few years ago. Changing sexual practices may also contribute. Because having an untreated sexually-transmitted disease (STD), such as chlamydia or syphilis, often leads to scarring in the reproductive tract, sexual activity that results in STDs may also result in infertility.

According to a survey conducted in 2002 by the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 12% of women between 15 and 44 years of age in the United States (over 7 million women) reported fertility problems, with about a million of them seeing a doctor specifically to be counseled or treated for infertility. Over their reproductive years, about one-quarter of American women who want to have a child will have some difficulty getting pregnant. In addition, nearly 2 million American men are estimated to have some degree of infertility.