Potential Causes of Female Infertility
Medically reviewed by Leyla Bilali, RN
Between 10% and 15% of couples will experience infertility. This means they will not conceive after at least one year of trying. Of these infertile couples, approximately one-third will discover fertility problems on the woman’s side, another third will find the problem on the man’s side, and the rest will find problems on both sides or receive a diagnosis of unexplained infertility.
What causes female infertility? In the simplest of terms, female infertility happens when one or more of the following occurs...
Something goes wrong with ovulation
Something prevents the egg and sperm from meeting
Something prevents a healthy embryo from being created (this can be caused by problems on either side)
Something prevents healthy implantation of the embryo
Many different diseases, conditions, and situations can cause these fertility problems. Here are several potential causes of female infertility, along with their most common symptoms, how they impact fertility, and fertility treatment options.