Infertility (cont.)

A man's sperm can be changed by his overall health and lifestyle. Some things that may reduce the health or number of sperm include:

• heavy alcohol use
  
  
• drugs
  
  
• environmental toxins, including pesticides and lead
  
  
• smoking cigarettes
  
  
• health problems such as mumps, serious conditions like kidney disease, or hormone problems
  
  
• medicines
  
  
• radiation treatment and chemotherapy for cancer
  
  
• age

Most cases of female infertility are caused by problems with ovulation. Without ovulation, there are no eggs to be fertilized. Some signs that a woman is not ovulating normally include irregular or absent menstrual periods.

Ovulation problems are often caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a hormone imbalance problem which can interfere with normal ovulation. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility. Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is another cause of ovulation problems. POI occurs when a woman's ovaries stop working normally before she is 40. POI is not the same as early menopause.

Less common causes of fertility problems in women include:

• blocked Fallopian tubes due to pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, or surgery for an ectopic pregnancy
  
  
• physical problems with the uterus
  
  
• uterine fibroids, which are non-cancerous clumps of tissue and muscle on the walls of the uterus.

Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/infertility/article.htm