Difficulty getting pregnant (infertility)
What infertility is, its causes in both women and men, and how it can often be prevented.
✓ Clinically reviewed · Catherine, RN & Juah, RN
When should I get help?
- If you have not become pregnant after 12 months of regular sex without contraception, a couple can talk to a health worker together.
Key things to remember
- Men can be the cause as often as women.
- Untreated STIs are a preventable cause.
- Contraception does not cause infertility.
📖 Read the full lesson
Infertility means not becoming pregnant after 12 months or more of regular sex without contraception. About 1 in 6 people experience it during their lives.
Infertility can be caused by problems in the man, the woman, or both — and sometimes no cause is found. Yet women are often blamed, and many face stigma, violence or divorce because of it.
In women, causes include blocked fallopian tubes (often from untreated STIs, unsafe abortion, or infection after childbirth), conditions of the womb such as fibroids or endometriosis, and PCOS. In men, causes include blockages from injury or infection, hormone problems, and problems with sperm. Smoking, heavy drinking and obesity can affect both.
Infertility can often be prevented: by preventing and treating STIs early, by avoiding unsafe abortion and infections after childbirth, and by healthy habits. Contraception does not cause infertility.
📚 Sources
- World Health Organization — Family planning/contraception methods (fact sheet) 3 Jul 2025 · accessed 31 Oct 2026
- World Health Organization — Infertility (fact sheet) 28 Nov 2025 · accessed 1 Nov 2026
Written in plain language from these sources. It does not imply endorsement by these organizations.
HH-ART-024 · Version 1.0 · Last updated 4 Nov 2026
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