Infertility is caused by a number of factors including ovulation disorder, uterine fibroids and endometriosis. For women the most common cause of infertility is ovulation disorder. Ovulation disorder describes infrequent or lack of ovulation. Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that tend to develop on various parts of the uterus. Endometriosis is a condition in which the cells that make up the lining of the uterus develop outside of the uterus. Blocked fallopian tubes and aging are other probable causes of infertility in females.

In men the most common causes of male infertility is no or low sperm count. In other cases the sperm may be abnormally shaped or have low mobility. Either situation makes it difficult for fertilization to occur. Finally another cause of male infertility is retrograde ejaculation which occurs when men ejaculate into the bladder instead of into the vagina.

Other causes of infertility include stress, drug and alcohol abuse and anorexia. For men, sperm count is reduced by a temperature increase as a result of wearing pants and underwear that is too tight.

As with any medical procedure, there are certain risks involved with in vitro fertilization. Ovarian Hyper stimulation Syndrome is one potential risk that causes the ovaries to become swollen. Although uncommon, women will experience pain, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite. In severe cases woman will endure severe abdominal pain, shortness of breath, severe nausea and vomiting, rapid weight gain, decreased urinary frequency or dark-colored urine.

Bleeding, infection or damage to the bowel, bladder or blood vessels may also occur as during the retrieval of the egg. Other possible risks include multiple pregnancies which increases the chances of premature births.

In vitro fertilization, or IVF, is a procedure that involves the fertilization of the sperm and the egg outside of the body. IVF begins with ovulation induction whereby the female is prescribed fertility medicine to stimulate the ovaries and increase the chances of collecting multiple eggs during menstruation. Eggs are closely monitored for proper development and upon maturation are retrieved using a surgical needle while the patient is sedated.

After the eggs are retrieved, sperm is collected and prepared for treatment in a laboratory. The egg and sperm are combined through a process called insemination. In situations where the sperm count is low, a single sperm is directly inserted into the egg through intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Once fertilization takes place, the egg is considered and embryo.  Days later the embryo is inserted into the woman’s uterus.

The success rate of in vitro fertilization refers to the pregnancy rate and not actual live birth rates and varies with age. However, over the years the live birth rate of individuals that have used in vitro fertilization has increased.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is critical when you are expecting. However, it is especially important to develop healthy habits prior to conceiving in order to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Unfortunately many men and women experience pregnancy complications or difficulty conceiving despite healthy habits. In fact, infertility affects over 6 million people in this country. Once thought to be only a female-related issue, studies have shown that the incidence rate of infertility in men is just as significant. With many couples struggling to get pregnant, advances in technology have made it possible to for couples to conceive through Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Introduced in the United States nearly two decades ago, Assisted Reproductive Technology involves various treatments in which both the sperm and eggs are handled in order to make reproduction possible. The most common Assisted Reproductive Technology is in vitro fertilization.