Infertility is defined as the inability of a couple practicing frequent intercourse and not using contraception to fail to conceive a child within 1 year.
A thorough evaluation of the infertile couple often reveals one or more causes for failure to conceive. Motivated couples that comply with therapeutic guidelines can expect a 50% to 60% chance of conception. A spontaneous, treatment-independent cumulative pregnancy rate of about 30% to 40% exists in couples in which no identifiable cause for the infertility can be determined.
The infertility evaluation serves to:
In the broadest of terms, 15% to 20% of the causes of infertility are the result of ovulatory dysfunction; 30% to 40% are caused by pelvic factors such as endometriosis, adhesions, or tubal disease; 30% to 40% are because of male factors such as oligospermia, azoospermia, increased semen viscosity, decreased sperm motility, or decreased semen volume; less than 5% are because of abnormal sperm-cervical mucous penetration or anti-sperm antibodies. In approximately 10% to 15% of couples no direct cause of their infertility can be found, but on further evaluation and treatment, occasionally factors such as poor sperm penetration, abnormal-appearing oocytes, etc., are elucidated. This group is referred to as unexplained infertility.
Hence we consider couple as a patient.
The Couple will undergo thorough physical examination and laboratory tests to rule out all possible etiologies and we will plan a individualized protocol for their particular case.
