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.

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Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
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Infertility is a condition.

Infertility refers to the condition where, after a couple has married and cohabited for more than a year, despite having regular sexual intercourse without any contraception, they are unable to conceive naturally. There are many factors that can cause infertility, including factors related to the male, the female, or both. Male factors account for about 40% of infertility cases, female factors account for about 50%, and combined factors account for about 10%. Female infertility includes ovarian infertility, fallopian tube infertility, uterine infertility, cervical infertility, vaginal infertility, immunological infertility, and more.

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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.

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Written by Shen Li Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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What are the symptoms of infertility?

There are many causes of infertility, so depending on different reasons, the clinical manifestations also vary. For instance, some women suffer from infertility due to abnormal ovulation, which could manifest as abnormalities in the menstrual cycle such as prolonged absence of menstruation, like in polycystic ovary syndrome, or irregular vaginal bleeding. Some women have uterine factors that cause infertility, such as common post-multiple intrauterine operations leading to intrauterine adhesions, where a woman might experience reduced menstrual flow or even amenorrhea, accompanied by painful menstruation. Additionally, infertility in some women might be due to cervical factors, possibly presenting with thick vaginal discharge, contact bleeding, or blood-tinged discharge. Partially, some women might have ovarian endometriomas, which can cause severe painful menstruation and increased menstrual volume, among other symptoms.

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Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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What is infertility?

If a couple has been married for a year without using contraception, are not living separately, and have not conceived, or if there has been a history of abortion and no conception has occurred within six months of unprotected sexual activity, then this is considered infertility. Infertility can be due to female factors or male factors, with male infertility also accounting for a significant proportion. Male investigations are relatively simple, non-invasive, and also less expensive, so it is generally advisable to first conduct male tests, followed by female assessments, such as endocrine function, ovulation, uterine lining, fallopian tube examinations, or various biochemical tests, etc.

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Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
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How to treat infertility?

The treatment methods for infertility primarily include medication, surgical treatment, and assisted reproductive technologies. For couples with infertility, it is essential to adopt appropriate treatment methods based on different causes and conditions. Medication is a commonly used method, mainly targeting conditions such as oligospermia, asthenozoospermia, and reproductive tract infections in men, as well as menstrual disorders and reproductive tract infections in women. Surgical treatment mainly targets conditions such as varicocele and vas deferens obstruction in men, and uterine fibroids and polycystic ovary syndrome in women. Assisted reproductive technologies are mainly used for some patients who do not respond well to medication or surgery, such as men with idiopathic oligospermia and women with blocked fallopian tubes, requiring these technologies for treatment.