infertility is a disease or condition of the reproductive system that interferes with the ability to conceive. it's typically defined as not being able to get pregnant after having regular unprotected sex for one year. "regular" is considered every few days when a woman is ovulating--the time of the month when one or more eggs are released from the ovaries. couples may want to seek medical treatment sooner than the one-year mark if the woman is over 35 or if there is a history of irregular menstrual cycles or diseases of the reproductive system. infertility also includes the inability to carry a pregnancy to term as in the case of someone who's had multiple miscarriages says diane clapp director of medical information at resolve a nonprofit advocacy organization for men and women facing infertility. "some people think that infertility is all in the head and can be fixed with relaxation or a vacation " says clapp who is a registered nurse. "but infertility is a medical disease that most people can be treated for. " about two-thirds of people who are treated for infertility will become pregnant according to resolve.
what is infertility?