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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the typical chance of becoming pregnant, without any infertility issues?
- What is infertility?
- How common is infertility?
- Unexplained infertility
- The relationship between weight and infertility
- Smoking
- What is the relationship between cancer treatment and male infertility?
- What is the best option for men to preserve fertility prior to cancer treatment?
What is the typical chance of becoming pregnant, without any infertility issues?
Under normal circumstances a couple has a 20% chance of becoming pregnant in a given month with regular, unprotected intercourse. Within one year of regular, unprotected intercourse 85% of couples will become pregnant.
Infertility is commonly defined as the inability to conceive within one year of regular, unprotected intercourse. However, age does play a role; if you are 35 or older (female) and have been unsuccessful in becoming pregnant after six months of regular, unprotected intercourse then you should speak with your doctor.
It has been estimated that one out of six couples (15%) will have some difficulty conceiving. Some individuals/couples have had a successful pregnancy in the past but will encounter difficulties in subsequent attempts to become pregnant.
Approximately 10% of individuals and couples will be diagnosed with “unexplained” infertility. This refers to individuals who have undergone all of the relevant investigations and no known cause of infertility has been found. In this situation, if infertility continues for more than two years, your chance of becoming pregnant on your own is reduced to 3-5% per month. The success rate may be even lower in older woman.
The relationship between weight and infertility
It has been shown that weight is closely related to fertility treatment success. Women who are either excessively overweight or underweight have a lower chance of getting pregnant and a higher chance of miscarriage than women of similar ages who are within their ideal weight range. The risk of stillbirth also increases when women are overweight. Weight stabilization prior to initiating any fertility therapy increases a woman’s chance of getting pregnant and having a live birth.
Smoking has negative effects on both a woman's eggs and a man’s sperm. Quitting smoking is critical for maximizing a couple’s success with fertility treatment. This includes the use of marijuana as it also has additional negative effects, especially on sperm function.
What is the relationship between cancer treatment and male infertility?
Often cancer treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy) can have a negative effect on a man’s fertility potential. Surgery to remove an affected testis, as well as radiation and chemotherapy may have a negative effect on spermatogenesis (sperm production).
What is the best option for men to preserve fertility prior to cancer treatment?
The number one option, and the most practical, is sperm banking prior to starting chemotherapy. This process involves providing a sperm sample that can be frozen and stored in the reproductive laboratory for use after cancer treatment.
