What Causes Infertility | Infertility Causes | Forum

• About 35 percent of all cases of infertility arise from problems in the man's system.
• About 35 percent arise from abnormalities in the woman's system.
• About 20 percent of the time, the man and woman both have fertility problems.
• In 10 percent of cases, no cause can be found.
• Age often increases the risk of infertility.

Infertility can be caused by poor sexual or lifestyle habits that are easily remedied. For example, the couple may be using a sexual lubricant that interferes with the survival of the man's sperm. Or, they may not be having sex often enough. Other easily treated illnesses or lifestyle habits that may contribute to infertility are:

• Heavy use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs.
• Starvation diets or anorexia in the woman.
• Tight underwear or pants in the man, which raises the crotch temperature and reduces sperm count.
• Stress. In a woman, this may cause her periods to be irregular. In a man, stress may reduce his sperm count.

Most of these problems can be resolved with medical treatment or lifestyle changes, such as wearing boxer shorts, avoiding a sexual lubricant, or trying some simple stress reduction methods such as physical exercise or relaxation techniques.

Changing the timing of sex and the couple's sexual techniques may also increase the chance of pregnancy. Sometimes the semen from the man fails to reach the woman's cervix. Placing a pillow under the woman's hips after intercourse may help prevent spillage of semen.