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Infertility in women

Last reviewed: 12 Sep 2025
Last updated: 06 Dec 2024

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • history of prior pelvic surgery
  • irregular menstrual cycles
  • hirsutism
  • acne
  • palpable uterine abnormalities
  • adnexal abnormalities
  • galactorrhea
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • dyspareunia
  • cul de sac abnormalities
Full details

Risk factors

  • age >35 years
  • history of sexually transmitted infection
  • very high body fat
  • very low body fat
  • cigarette smoking
  • autoimmune disease
  • history of appendicitis
  • history of cesarean or instrumental vaginal delivery
  • psychiatric disease
  • substance misuse
  • alcohol consumption
  • caffeine consumption
  • occupational or environmental exposures
  • stress
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • semen analysis
  • luteal-phase progesterone
  • urinary luteinizing hormone (LH)
  • transvaginal ultrasound scan
  • chlamydia antibody testing
  • hysterosalpingogram
  • hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (HyCosY)
  • basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
  • saline infusion sonogram
  • antral follicle count
  • serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)
Full details

Tests to avoid

  • postcoital test
  • immunologic test
  • thrombophilia test
Full details

Tests to consider

  • serum LH
  • serum estradiol
  • free serum testosterone
  • serum TSH
  • celiac disease testing
  • serum prolactin
  • 3-dimensional ultrasonography
  • pelvic MRI
  • laparoscopy and hysteroscopy
  • karyotyping
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

with underlying or associated medical condition

ONGOING

anovulatory

tubal

endometriosis- or adenomyosis-related

age-related

damaged/missing uterus

endometrial polyps or uterine septum

unexplained

Contributors

Authors

Andrew Drakeley, MBChB, MD, FRCOG

Consultant Gynaecologist

Hewitt Fertility Centre

Liverpool Women's Hospital

Liverpool

UK

გაფრთხილება:

AD is Director and stock holder of IVF 2.0 and Horizon Fertility. AD is an advisor to TMRW Life Sciences and Cambridge Clinical Laboratories, and has received conference attendance support from Ferring, Merck, IBSA, and Theramex Pharma.

Lewis Nancarrow, MD, MRCOG

Subspecialty Trainee in Reproductive Medicine

Hewitt Fertility Centre

Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool

UK

გაფრთხილება:

LN has been reimbursed for conference attendances by Ferring and for presenting at a fertility nurses conference by IBSA.

მადლიერება

Dr Andrew Drakeley and Dr Dr Lewis Nancarrow would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Daphne Chong, Dr Jane A. Stewart, and Dr Jared C. Robins, previous contributors to this topic.

გაფრთხილება:

DC declares that she has no competing interests. JAS is a past Chair of the British Fertility Society; she is also the head of a large NHS fertility service. JCR declares that he has no competing interests.

რეცენზენტები

Daniel Williams, MD

Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Cincinnati

OH

გაფრთხილება:

DW declares that he has no competing interests.

Mira Aubuchon, MD

Assistant Clinical Professor

Division of Reproductive Endocrinology

University College of Medicine

Cincinnati

OH

გაფრთხილება:

MA declares that she has no competing interests.

Stephanie Dahl, MD

Assistant Clinical Professor

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

University of North Dakota School of Medicine

Fargo

ND

გაფრთხილება:

SD declares that she has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

წყაროები

ჩვენი მტკიცებულებებისა და სარედაქციო ჯგუფები თანამშრომლობენ საერთაშორისო ექსპერტებსა და რეცენზენტებთან, რათა უზრუნველვყოთ თქვენი წვდომა კლინიკურად ყველაზე მნიშვნელოვან ინფორმაციაზე.

ძირითადი სტატიები

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Fertility problems: assessment and treatment. Sep 2017 [internet publication].სრული ტექსტი

European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. Unexplained infertility: guideline of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. 2023 [internet publication].სრული ტექსტი

Buckett W, Sierra S. The management of unexplained infertility: an evidence-based guideline from the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society. Reprod Biomed Online. 2019 Oct;39(4):633-40.სრული ტექსტი  აბსტრაქტი

Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Evidence-based treatments for couples with unexplained infertility: a guideline. Fertil Steril. 2020 Feb;113(2):305-22.სრული ტექსტი  აბსტრაქტი

გამოყენებული სტატიები

ამ თემაში მოხსენიებული წყაროების სრული სია ხელმისაწვდომია მომხმარებლებისთვის, რომლებსაც აქვთ წვდომა BMJ Best Practice-ის ყველა ნაწილზე.
  • Infertility in women images
  • დიფერენციული დიაგნოზები

    • Male factor infertility
    მეტი დიფერენციული დიაგნოზები
  • გაიდლაინები

    • Evidence-based diagnosis and treatment for uterine septum: a guideline
    • Prevention of moderate and severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: a guideline
    მეტი გაიდლაინები
  • პაციენტის ბროშურები

    Fertility problems: some reasons

    Fertility problems: what are the treatment options?

    მეტი პაციენტის ბროშურები
  • padlock-lockedშედით სისტემაში ან გამოიწერეთ BMJ Best Practice

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