Infertility

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Infertility is when an otherwise healthy couple canâ€™t conceive (get pregnant) despite having sex regularly without using contraception. Few couples are actually infertile â€“ most are subfertile. This means there are problems with getting pregnant, but itâ€™s still possible with medical help. The term subfertile is also used if you can get pregnant but keep having miscarriages.

If you cannot conceive at all, this is called primary infertility. Secondary infertility is when youâ€™ve had one or more babies in the past but canâ€™t conceive again, or if youâ€™ve had one or more miscarriages or stillborn babies.

Getting pregnant takes longer than many people think. Most couples who have sex regularly without using contraception get pregnant within two years, but each month your chance of getting pregnant is only 20%.

Although there isnâ€™t a cut off point to say when a coupleâ€™s infertile, itâ€™s worth seeing your GP if you havenâ€™t conceived after one year of trying. Your GP may be able to check for common causes, and suggest treatments that could help.

Conception happens when a sperm from the man burrows into an egg (ovum) from the woman and fertilises it. This makes an embryo, which settles in the lining of the womb and grows into a baby. The woman releases an egg every month as part of the menstrual cycle. This egg can be fertilised by the manâ€™s sperm during sex, if contraception isnâ€™t used to stop the sperm getting to the egg.