Overview
Infertility
We define infertility as no successful pregnancy after attempting to conceive for one year or longer of unprotected sex.
Male Factor Infertility
Infertility is not just a women’s issue. Statistically speaking, the causes are split evenly between man and woman (at about 30 percent each). It can also be due to both partners - this is the case in at least 15 to 30 percent of affected couples. The figures show that it makes sense for both partners to be examined.
Prevalence of Infertility
Experts estimate that about every sixth or seventh couple is involuntarily childless. Therefore more than a million couples would be affected in Germany alone with this number rising.
Potential Cause of Infertility
The increase of is surely a consequence of social change. In 1960, the average age for a woman to have her first child was around 25. Today, the average age for a woman to have her first child is about 30. And the older you get, the lower the likelihood of becoming pregnant. But job stress and environmental factors probably also play a role.
Opportunities and risks
Probability of Success
The chances of becoming pregnant with simple hormonal treatment along side insemination are between 10 and 15 percent per cycle. If fertility is more deeply impaired, one has to consider IVF or ICSI treatment. The chances of success are 20 to 30 percent per treatment attempt. After several treatments, about 60 to 80 percent of the couples get pregnant.
Risks for the female patient
With regular monitoring of the treatment, serious side effects are rare. In less than five percent of patients, hormonal stimulation leads to ovarian hyperfunction. This can result in the formation of free fluid in the abdomen and pain.
According to the current state of knowledge, there is no increased risk of cancer. IVF treatment definitely increases the likelihood of a multiple pregnancy. Therefore, we recommend that only two embryos are implanted in women under 37.