What is infertility?

Fertility Specialist Richard Marrs, MD, explains when a couple is considered infertile and should seek medical care and testing, depending on the age of the couple
What Defines Infertility - Expert Fertility Tips | Kids In The House
KidsInTheHouse the Ultimate Parenting Resource
Kids in the House Tour

What is infertility?

Comment
68
Like
68
Transcription: 
We consider a couple infertile only after they've had attempts on their own. The standard definition of infertility is, at least six months of attempting pregnancy on their own, if conception doesn't occur; we consider that couple sub-fertile or infertile, and we suggest that couple seek medical care. That definition is somewhat arbitrary. Today, if a woman's age is older, we are going to give her less time in trying before we consider her infertile. As age increases, infertility increases. We want to start treating those women at an earlier time. Someone who is in their early 30's and is trying, six months of attempts that gives them an opportunity to get pregnant. If at the end of six months, we know, for sure, she needs to go get some testing. A 41 year old woman, three months if they are not pregnant, they need to enter into testing at that point.
PREGNANCY, Fertility, Infertility

Fertility Specialist Richard Marrs, MD, explains when a couple is considered infertile and should seek medical care and testing, depending on the age of the couple

Transcript

Expert Bio

More from Expert

Richard Marrs, MD

Fertility Specialist

Dr. Richard Marrs is a board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist. He studied medicine and trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Texas before moving to Southern California to study Reproductive Endocrinology. While at the University of Southern California, he developed one of the country’s first IVF programs, which is responsible for the second IVF birth in the United States and the first birth from cryopreserved embryos in the United States in 1986. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to the development of IVF. He has published over 200 papers and books in the area of Reproductive Endocrinology and In Vitro Fertilization and is a prominent figure in the national and international infertility communities. In 1996, he published a book for couples called the Dr. Richard Marrs' Fertility Book: America's Leading Infertility Expert Tells You Everything You Need to Know About Getting Pregnant.

More Parenting Videos from Richard Marrs, MD >
Enter your email to
download & subscribe
to our newsletter