Based on a discussion about infertility posted at About.com, infertility can be caused by a few major reasons. While women often blame themselves for infertility, it's not true that infertility is always a woman's problem. Some experts say that up to 80 percent of cases which was diagnosed with infertility are due to male problems. Infertility may be due to a single cause in either a woman or her partner, or a combination of factors that may prevent a pregnancy from occurring.

Some factors that contribute to infertility is a bad reproductive system or inability to release a healthy ovum in the fallopian tube. Other reasons like infection, endometriosis or blocked tubes also lead to infertility. One important factor is the inability of the sperm to enter the mucus that lines cervical canal leading to the uterus. Older women with older eggs are more likely to be infertile.

There are several factors that could lead to male infertility. Male infertility usually is caused by low sperm production. An infertile male may be producing very weak sperm cells. A man may also be affected by an underlying disease such as endocrine problems, Kallmann’s syndrome, hyperprolactinemia, drug and alcohol-related problems, which harm the production of hormones necessary for sperm production.

Some couples use the latest technology that modern medicine has to offer, especially in vitro fertilization (IVF). Techniques such as In Vitro Fertilization have been used around the world since the 1970s, but they are still something of an inexact science. Success rates for each therapy are as low as 1, and becoming pregnant depends on a variety of factors, including the age of the woman, the cause of infertility, and the training and experience of the doctor doing the procedure.

In vitro fertilization involves the use of a drug to induce the simultaneous release of many eggs from the female's ovaries. In the meantime, several semen samples are obtained from the male partner, and a sperm concentrate is prepared for implantation. The ova and sperm are then mixed in a laboratory. The woman may be given additional drugs to ensure that her uterus is ready to receive an embryo. Usually three to four of the embryos are transferred in to the woman's uterus.

Despite the feelings of helplessness, couples may still find encouragement in seeking solutions to a woman's infertility. These days, medicines like follicle-stimulating hormone are available on the market to stimulate ovulation in a woman. These treatments, however, may have undesirable side effects which include multiple births, headaches or blurred vision, depression and mood swings, pelvic discomforts and ovarian cysts. Solution for structural and mechanical issues that might cause infertility can be resolved mostly through surgery.

A common approach is currently recognized as an effective treatment for female infertility. These methods include herbal medicine and acupuncture. Acupuncture treatments attempts to open the blocked energy that prevents fertilization. This is also believed to help restore the balance among organs especially in the endocrine system. On the other hand some herbal plants when ingested can help with a successful pregnancy. These forms of treatment can take a long time covering a period of up to twelve months before becoming pregnant.