Infertility Risk Factors for Men and Women

For women - general factors that can affect the ability to ovulate, conceive, or deliver a child successfully include the following: age - women in their late 30s are generally less fertile than women in their early 20s endometriosis chronic diseases (diabetes, lupus, arthritis, hypertension, or asthma) hormonal imbalance environmental factors - cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, or exposure to workplace hazards or toxins excessive or very low body fat abnormal Pap smears that have been treated with cryosurgery or cone biopsy DES taken by mother during pregnancy sexually transmitted diseases fallopian tube disease multiple miscarriages	For men - infertility is not just a woman's problem. Following is a list of risk factors related to male infertility: history of prostatitis, genital infection, or sexually transmitted diseases exposure to hazards on the job or toxic substances, such as radiation, radioactivity, welding, and many chemicals, including lead, ethylene dibromine, and vinyl chloride. cigarette or marijuana smoke heavy alcohol consumption exposure of the genitals to high temperatures hernia repair undescended testicles prescription drugs for ulcers or psoriasis DES taken by mother during pregnancy mumps after puberty

For women - general factors that can affect the ability to ovulate, conceive, or deliver a child successfully include the following:

age - women in their late 30s are generally less fertile than women in their early 20s
endometriosis
chronic diseases (diabetes, lupus, arthritis, hypertension, or asthma)
hormonal imbalance
environmental factors - cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, or exposure to workplace hazards or toxins
excessive or very low body fat
abnormal Pap smears that have been treated with cryosurgery or cone biopsy
DES taken by mother during pregnancy
sexually transmitted diseases
fallopian tube disease
multiple miscarriages

For men - infertility is not just a woman's problem. Following is a list of risk factors related to male infertility:

history of prostatitis, genital infection, or sexually transmitted diseases
exposure to hazards on the job or toxic substances, such as radiation, radioactivity, welding, and many chemicals, including lead, ethylene dibromine, and vinyl chloride.
cigarette or marijuana smoke
heavy alcohol consumption
exposure of the genitals to high temperatures
hernia repair
undescended testicles
prescription drugs for ulcers or psoriasis
DES taken by mother during pregnancy
mumps after puberty

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Online Resources of Women's Health

NewYork-Presbyterian. The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell.