Infertility
What is Infertility?
Infertility is indicated when no pregnancy has occurred after a year of having regular intercourse without using contraception. There are two types of infertility:
- Primary sterility refers to couples who have never achieved a pregnancy.
- Secondary infertility refers to couples who have achieved a pregnancy, either with a live birth or an abortion.
Couples with fertility problems
According to WHO (World Health Organisation) sources, infertility affects millions of couples around the world, especially in Western countries. The number of couples who resort to using assisted reproduction techniques is increasing. In Spain, it is estimated that 15% of couples of childbearing age have trouble conceiving. Experts say that the increase in infertility has no single cause, however studies show that multiple factors come into play:
- The tendency to delay their first pregnancy for professional or economic reasons causes women to decide to become a mother at an age when fertility is at its lowest
- Changes in ovulation and increased incidence of endometriosis.
- The male infertility factor. Men now have poorer quality of sperm as a result of their way of life and current habits (stress, smoking, pollution, foods that contain oestrogen, etc.).
- Sexually transmitted diseases that cause infections that affect both the female and male reproductive tract.
Single women who wish to become pregnant
In these cases, artificial insemination with donor sperm is used.
