Infertility Causes and Risks

Some leisure activities, jobs, and the use of drugs & medications may all increase the chances of infertility. On the positive side, some lifestyle changes may bolster a couple's chances of having a family.

Factors that can influence fertility include:

Infertility and Smoking

Smoking and Male Fertility Cigarette smoking increases the chance of male infertility. It can have significant harmful effects on sperm motility, sperm morphology and erectile function. The effects correlate with the amount smoked, so men who smoke should cut back as much as possible even if they can't completely give up. After smoking cessation, it takes about three months to restore these functions to their normal state. Smoking and Female... Read more

Infertility and Drugs

Any woman trying to conceive should avoid unnecessary drugs, both for the sake of her fertility and because some drugs have a devastating effect on the developing embryo in early pregnancy. Excessive use of recreational drugs, including more than one drink of alcohol a day, can also harm fertility in both men and women. Some medications, such as cimetidine, nitrofurantoin, sulfasalazine, spironolactine and nifedipine are known to harm sperm... Read more

Environmental Causes of Infertility

Certain industrial chemicals, environmental pollutants and radiation are known to contribute to or cause infertility. Lead poisoning, for example, has long been associated with infertility in both men and women. Chemotherapy and x-ray therapy for cancer can be extremely toxic to sperm and eggs and can cause permanent infertility. Our California fertility program recommends that men who will be undergoing chemotherapy store their sperm before... Read more

Weight and Infertility

Physical fitness is appropriate in moderation. Women who exercise so strenuously that they stop having menstrual periods or lose too much body fat may become temporarily infertile. A certain amount of body fat appears to be necessary for a woman to be able to have a successful pregnancy. On the other hand, obesity in women can also cause problems with fertility. Read more

Stress and Infertility

Whether or not stress causes infertility remains unclear. However, couples with extremely busy schedules, or who do extensive traveling may not find time to have intercourse every two days around the time when the woman is ovulating. Busy couples with fertility problems may also find it hard to cope with the demands of an infertility evaluation and treatment plan. Read more

Caffeine and Infertility

While previous research has suggested that women who drink coffee and other caffeinated beverages regularly may experience fertility problems, a new study did not find that coffee drinking had a significant effect on fertility. In fact, a study of 210 women who were trying to conceive found that those who drank as little as a half a cup of caffeinated tea each day were twice as likely to become pregnant as women who did not drink tea. It is... Read more

Infertility and Sex

Couples trying to conceive who want lubrication during intercourse are best advised to go to their refrigerator rather than their medicine cabinet. Vegetable oil and olive oil don't have too much of an impact on sperm survival and petroleum jelly is also a relatively safe alternative. However, lubricants such as K-Y Jelly, Sugilube, Alpha Keri & Keri Lotion contain bacteriostatic agents, which can significantly decrease sperm motility.... Read more

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