Is infertility just a woman's problem?

Misconceptions are very common in the world of infertility. One popular myth is that infertility is the woman's problem and that once that "problem" is fixed, the couple will be able to conceive. This could not be farther from the truth. In fact, in nearly 30% of all infertility cases, the cause is attributed to a factor in the male and in an additional 30% of cases the cause is attributed to both male and female factors. Less than a decade ago, treatment for a severe male factor was limited to inseminations or IVF using donor sperm. Today, exciting advances in male infertility have introduced innovative therapeutic options that offer men, including those with no sperm in their ejaculate due to genetic conditions, a greatly improved chance to conceive their own biological offspring.

 

Here's a little-known fact: In any instance of infertility, the problem is on the guy's side about 40% of the time. The problem is on the woman's side about the same -- 40%. The other 20%? Those are the mystery cases where no specific cause can be found. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a way of getting around a problem on the women's side. It's great (if expensive) technology, but it may be the wrong tool for the job if the problem is with the guy.