Infertility risk factors
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [2] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sanjana Nethagani, M.B.B.S.[3]
Overview
Advanced age is the most important modifiable risk factor for women with infertility. Other risk factors include diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, PCOS etc.
Infertility Risk factors
Several factors play a role in infertility among women, such as:[1]
- Advanced age is the most common risk factor. Women who are over the age of 30 have a declining ovarian reserve. [2]
- Chronic diseases such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, hypertension etc also may cause infertility.[3]
- Obesity is linked to infertility via various pathways, including peripheral aromatisation of estrogens leading to increased testosterone production which decreases gonadotropin secretion.[4]
- Being underweight also causes infertility as evidenced by the female athlete triad. Low body weight is linked to infertility and sub fertility due to functional hypothalamic amenorrhea.
- Hormonal imbalance can cause infertility. The most common cause of hormonal imbalance is PCOS.
- Environmental hazards such as smoking, alcohol abuse, drug abuse etc.
- Untreated or improperly treated sexually transmitted infections which can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and cause adhesions, synechiae and scarring.
- Previous pelvic or abdominal surgery.
- Endometriosis and adenomyosis
- Uterine fibroids
- High levels of stress among women have been associated with decreased fertility. [5]
References
- ↑ Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Electronic address: asrm@asrm.org. Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (2018). “Smoking and infertility: a committee opinion”. Fertil Steril. 110 (4): 611–618. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.06.016. PMID 30196946.
- ↑ Steiner AZ, Pritchard D, Stanczyk FZ, Kesner JS, Meadows JW, Herring AH; et al. (2017). “Association Between Biomarkers of Ovarian Reserve and Infertility Among Older Women of Reproductive Age”. JAMA. 318 (14): 1367–1376. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.14588. PMC 5744252. PMID 29049585.
- ↑ Thong EP, Codner E, Laven JSE, Teede H (2020). “Diabetes: a metabolic and reproductive disorder in women”. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 8 (2): 134–149. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30345-6. PMID 31635966.
- ↑ Broughton DE, Moley KH (2017). “Obesity and female infertility: potential mediators of obesity’s impact”. Fertil Steril. 107 (4): 840–847. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.01.017. PMID 28292619.
- ↑ Hjollund NH, Jensen TK, Bonde JP, Henriksen TB, Andersson AM, Kolstad HA; et al. (1999). “Distress and reduced fertility: a follow-up study of first-pregnancy planners”. Fertil Steril. 72 (1): 47–53. doi:10.1016/s0015-0282(99)00186-7. PMID 10428147.
© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH