Infertility may be due to male or female factors.
Causes of male infertility include:
Causes of female infertility include:
Often, there is a mixture of both male and female factors. In some cases, there appears to be no obvious reason andthis is termed ‘unexplained infertility’.
Basic investigations of infertility include a semen analysis and, for the female partner, hormone tests and anultrasound scan of the pelvis. Depending on the medical history and basic investigation results, advise will be given onthe method of testing for patency of the Fallopian tubes.
Options for testing tubal patency include:
Some women may be recommended a hysteroscopy to assess the cavity of the womb. This test involves visualizing thecavity of the womb with a fine telescope to ensure that that the cavity of the womb is healthy. Any polyps found will beremoved. These are all considered preparation for Infertility treatments, such as In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) andIntrauterine Insemination (IUI).