If you and your husband have been trying to conceive for at least a year without results, you need to be aware of what is infertility and what are the causes of infertility. It is a scary word for a couple trying to have a baby, but the sooner you know what it is and how to spot it, the closer you will be to taking the right actions that will get you pregnant as soon as possible.

What is Infertility?

Infertility is your body's lack or ability to get pregnant or to sustain pregnancy until the baby is born. There are hundreds of causes of infertility that may prevent you from getting pregnant. They go from the most simple things, like trying at the wrong days of the month, to others factors that may be related to serious ailments and physical conditions. Most couples fall somewhere in between.

Good news is that only 15% of couples that are having trouble to get pregnant actually suffer from infertility. Of this 15%, 1/3 of the causes of infertility are the problem of the woman, 1/3 are the problem the man and the last third are from an unknown causes.

This statistics tell us, that given enough time and practice, the majority of couples are more than able to conceive. However, for those that have been trying for more than a year, they need to investigate what is the root of the problem and find out what is the best treatment for it.

How do I know if I suffer from Infertility?

Spotting the causes of infertility is a process that often can take some months to discover. Women usually start by making sure they are ovulating regularly, and men must do a semen testing to make sure that they are producing sufficient and healthy sperm capable of impregnating his wife.

Here are the most important tests that women take to find their causes of infertility:

1- Hysterosalpingography: In this test, a coloring agent is injected into the uterus through the vagina to find out, using X-Rays, if there is any blockages inside the uterus or the fallopian tubes that could be preventing the woman from getting pregnant.

2- Laparoscopy: This is a surgical procedure where they make small incisions in the abdomen with a specialized pencil-thin instrument called laparoscope. This method gives the surgeon a very clear view,on a monitor,of the inside of a woman's abdominal cavity.

What can I expect to find from the results of this tests?

Once you have taken the test, this are 10 of the most common causes of infertility you may find:

1-Poor Nutrition: Obesity or Anorexia can be a problem because they can unbalance your hormonal production and therefore affect your ability to conceive.

2- Endocrine Abnormalities: Thyroid, Pituary or Adrenal disorders can also affect your hormonal balance.

3- Emotional Problems: Stress can actually inhibit ovulation.

4-Vaginal Disorders: Abnormalities of the vagina like imperforate hymen or Stenosis (an abnormal narrowing of the vagina) may interfere with successful penetration.

5- Tubal Obstruction: An obstruction in the fallopian tube can prevent the egg to make its way to the womb

6- Vaginitis: It is an inflammation of the vagina often caused by an infection. If it is severe it can destroy the sperm cells.

7- Cervical Abnormalities: If there are any polyps in the cervix, they could obstruct the transit of the spermatozoids in their way to the egg cell.

8 -Uterine Abnormalities: As with the cervical abnormalities, any obstruction in the uterus can prevent egg implantation.

9-Coital Factors: Lubricants can be toxic for sperm and inactivate them

10-Age: This is one of the most common causes of infertility since women nowadays wait longer and longer to start their families

As you see, there are many causes of infertility that could be preventing you from getting pregnant, so if you have been trying for more than a year, it is recommended that you take one of the tests mentioned above and find out the causes of your problem.