How long does it take to be considered infertile when trying to conceive?

Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
Updated on November 28, 2024
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Pregnancy for women requires a certain amount of time to be successful, and if one cannot become pregnant in the short term, it does not necessarily mean infertility. It could be due to irregular ovulation or incorrect timing of sexual activity. In clinical practice, it is generally considered that if one has been trying to conceive normally without deliberate contraception and still cannot become pregnant after a year, then infertility should be diagnosed. For cases where conception hasn't occurred after a year of trying, examinations should be carried out for both partners to determine if there are any pathological factors.

First, the male partner should have chromosome and sperm analysis;

Second, the female partner should be checked for chromosomal infections, immune factors, rheumatology factors, etc. After clearly identifying the reasons, interventions should be made as much as possible to guide normal conception.

Other Voices

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Written by Zhao Min Ying
Reproductive Medicine
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How is infertility defined?

If a couple is under 35 years old, cohabiting, having regular sexual intercourse, and has not used any contraception for over a year, the woman is diagnosed with infertility and the man with male infertility. For couples over 35 years old, cohabiting, having regular sexual intercourse, and not using any contraception for over half a year, the woman is diagnosed with infertility. After a diagnosis of infertility or sterility, it is necessary to visit a local reproductive center for further infertility-related examinations, including semen analysis for the man, ovulation monitoring for the woman, endocrine tests, and fallopian tube examinations, among others.

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Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
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"What does infertility OC mean?"

Infertility OC refers to the ovarian stimulation protocols for in vitro fertilization (IVF), commonly divided into long and short protocols. Ovarian stimulation in IVF is done to obtain more eggs for better results. The choice between protocols is not determined by time, but by assessing the patient’s ovarian function. Patients with good ovarian function use the long protocol, while those with poor ovarian function use the short protocol. Although the long protocol takes more time, it provides better ovulation results and a more consistent ovarian response, preventing premature ovulation. The short protocol, although quicker, often has less effective stimulation results and an inconsistent ovarian response, which frequently leads to premature ovulation. Thus, the long protocol is the standard for ovarian stimulation, while the short protocol is a contingency plan used when there is concern that poor ovarian function might prevent follicle development with the long protocol.

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Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
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Can infertility be cured?

Infertility cannot be universally treated; it requires a specific analysis of each case. For instance, infertility caused by congenital factors, like congenital absence of testicles or uterus, is often difficult to treat. However, infertility resulting from acquired causes, such as sexual dysfunction, abnormal male semen, uterine fibroids, or ovarian cysts in females, can often be treated with medication, surgery, or assisted reproductive technologies like in-vitro fertilization, and in many cases can be cured.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Why does endometriosis cause infertility?

Endometriosis is a common cause of infertility. The reasons endometriosis leads to infertility mainly include the following aspects: First, if endometriosis occurs above the ovaries, this condition is referred to as ovarian chocolate cysts. This disease can cause ovarian ovulation disorders. Second, endometriosis easily leads to pelvic adhesions, which can affect the function of the fallopian tubes, making it difficult for the fimbrial end of the tubes to capture eggs. Endometriosis is very common among women with infertility; therefore, a thorough examination is essential when screening for causes of infertility. If endometriosis is present, surgical or medical treatment should be chosen to improve the symptoms of endometriosis as much as possible and alleviate the causes of infertility.

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Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
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Is soaking feet useful for infertility?

Whether soaking feet is beneficial for patients with infertility should be analyzed based on specific circumstances, rather than generalized. For patients with a cold uterus, soaking feet can increase blood circulation, relieve the coldness of the uterus, and facilitate the implantation of the embryo. However, the duration of soaking should not be too long, nor should the water be too hot, as this may affect the survival and development of the embryo. For patients who do not have a cold uterus, there is no need to soak their feet. It is advisable to consult a professional doctor about whether to soak feet or not. Ideally, consult a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner to diagnose your physical condition before deciding if you should soak your feet and for how long.