Causes of infertility are multifactorial. Let’s have a look at the contributing factors.

1. Biological Factors:

Clinical conditions in women like ovarian cysts, PCOS, Endometriosis, Uterine fibroids, fungal infections, etc., and many more result in poor ovarian quality or absence of ovulation, or poor uterine conditions for an egg to implant.

Male factors include conditions like ejaculation issues, varicocele, infections, tumors, autoimmune conditions, undescended testes, hormonal imbalances, chromosomal defects, and certain medicines that can result in azoospermia or oligospermia.

2. Delayed Maternal Age:

People are having pregnancies later in their life. Both men and women are entering marriage and partnerships later in their lives after their extended periods of education, earning, and “settling” and so being parents come quite in the lower lists in their milestones. Aging decreases the quality of egg and sperm, and thus decreases the chance of conceiving.

3. Lifestyle:

Poor diet, fast food, junk, and increased consumption of packed and preserved food, refined sugar in both sexes is also responsible. Smoking and alcohol increase the chances of obesity, high cholesterol levels, and even Diabetes which lead to infertility. Lack of sunshine, lack of exercise, and sedentary habits also contribute to infertility.

4. Psychosomatic Factors:

Emotional disturbances in young couples are on a high. It’s not only the stress about working, but position insecurities, office politics, the competitive environment, and the dire need to prove one’s worth all the time has heavily affected the psyche of young couples. From being emotionally driven to being economy-driven, we as a society have cultivated an unhealthy attitude that really affects our body hormones. Infertility due to hormonal disturbances arising due to emotional upheaval can’t be denied.

5. Environmental Factors:

Reproductive health effects are interconnected and largely driven by a common cause: the presence of hormone-altering chemicals (a.k.a., endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs) in our world. These hormone-hijacking chemicals, including phthalates, bisphenol A, and flame retardants, have become ubiquitous in modern life. Right from water bottles to food packaging, electronic devices, personal-care products, and cleaning supplies, these chemicals are everywhere. Ever since their use after 1950, sperm counts and fertility began their decline.