Infertility (Print Version)

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Infertility

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infertility.html

Latest News

Researchers Grow Sperm Stem Cells from Mice (11/04/2004, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_21061.html (*this news item will not be available after 12/04/2004)
Researchers Grow Sperm Stem Cells in Laboratory Cultures: Advance Could Lead to New Infertility Treatments, Source of Adult Stem Cells (11/03/2004, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/nov2004/nichd-03.htm
Man's Weight May Affect His Fertility (10/29/2004, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_20948.html (*this news item will not be available after 11/28/2004)
Tall Girls Fertility Problem Studied (10/22/2004, United Press International) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_20792.html (*this news item will not be available after 11/21/2004)

From the National Institutes of Health

MedlinePlus: Premature Ovarian Failure (National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prematureovarianfailure.html

Overviews

Frequently Asked Questions About Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/faqs.html
How Do I Know If I Have an Infertility Problem? (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/trying/whatis/how.jsp?name=trying&tag;=whatis
Infertility (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=DS00310
Infertility (National Women's Health Information Center) - http://www.4woman.gov/faq/infertility.htm
Also available in Spanish - http://www.4woman.gov/faq/Spanish/infertility.htm

Anatomy/Physiology

Atlas of the Body: Female Reproductive Organs (American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/MedLb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ8QKJ56JC⊂_cat=2
How the Man and Woman Each Contribute to Fertility: The Anatomy of Reproduction (International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination) - http://www.inciid.org/article.php?cat=infertility101&id;=8

Diagnosis/Symptoms

Diagnostic Testing for Male Factor Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF File - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/Testing_Male-Fact.pdf
Estrogen Tests (American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/estrogen/test.html
FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/fsh/test.html
Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF File - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/hsg.pdf
LH (Luteinizing Hormone) Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/lh/test.html
Progesterone Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/progesterone/test.html
Testing with a Reproductive Endocrinologist (International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination) - http://www.inciid.org/article.php?cat=fertility101&id;=79
Testosterone Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/testosterone/test.html

Treatment

Assisted Reproductive Technologies (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF File - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/patientbooklets/ART.pdf
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/treatment/options/art/art.jsp?name=treatment&tag;=options
How to Select an Infertility Specialist (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/trying/where/physician/physician3.jsp?name=trying&tag;=where
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/ICSI-Fact.pdf
Intrauterine Insemination (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/treatment/options/iui.jsp?name=treatment&tag;=options
Management of Male Infertility (American Urological Association) - http://urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=11&topic;=129
Medical Aspects of Donor Insemination (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/treatment/options/donor/insemination.jsp?name=treatment&tag;=options
Medical Aspects of Egg Donation (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/treatment/options/donor/egg.jsp?name=treatment&tag;=options
Medical Aspects of Embryo Donation (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/treatment/options/donor/embryo.jsp?name=treatment&tag;=options
Micromanipulation Techniques (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/treatment/options/micro/micro.jsp?name=treatment&tag;=options
Ovulation Drugs: A Guide for Patients (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF File - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/patientbooklets/ovulation_drugs.pdf
Q & A for Injectable Infertility Medications (International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination) - http://www.inciid.org/article.php?cat=complementarymed&id;=42
Side Effects of Gonadotropins (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF File - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/Gonadatrophins-Fact.pdf
When to See a Specialist for Infertility (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/trying/where/physician/whenspecialist.jsp?name=trying&tag;=where

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Infertility (National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/action/FindCondition?ui=D007246&recruiting;=true

Specific Conditions

Age and Fertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF File - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/patientbooklets/agefertility.pdf
DES (Diethylstilbestrol) Update: Consumers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/DES/consumers/index.html
Hormonal Causes of Ovulatory Disorders (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/treatment/diagnosis/thyroid.jsp?name=treatment&tag;=diagnosis
Preserving Your Fertility: Risk Factors (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/trying/preserving/preserving.jsp?name=trying&tag;=preserving
Secondary Infertility (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/treatment/diagnosis/2ndinfertility.jsp?name=treatment&tag;=diagnosis
Smoking and Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF File - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/smoking.pdf
Sperm Antibodies (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=AN00247
Weight and Fertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF File - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/weightfertility.pdf

Prevention/Screening

Common Concerns and Exposures (Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction) - http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/genpub/topics/ccae_index.html

Nutrition

Pre-Conception Nutrition (American Pregnancy Association) - http://www.americanpregnancy.org/gettingpregnant/preconceptionnutrition.html

Coping

Managing Family and Friends (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/coping/talk/family/family.jsp?name=coping&tag;=talk
Psychological Component of Infertility (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - http://www.asrm.org/Professionals/PG-SIG-Affiliated_Soc/MHPG/mhpgfaqs.html
Also available in Spanish - http://www.asrm.org/Professionals/PG-SIG-Affiliated_Soc/MHPG/spanishmhpgfaqs.html
Tips for Coping with the Holidays (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/coping/holidays/general.jsp?name=coping&tag;=talk

Related Issues

Cancer and Fertility Preservation (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF File - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/cancer.pdf

Research

Disorders Associated with Infertility (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/womenshealth/infertility.cfm
Don't Turn to Assisted Reproduction Too Quickly Warns US Expert (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) - http://www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/news/dunson.htm
Oral Diabetes Drug Shows Promise in Preventing Miscarriage in Common Infertility (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/feb2002/nichd-27.htm
Researchers Discover How Embryo Attaches to the Uterus (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jan2003/nichd-16.htm
Scientists Discover Gene in Human Egg That May Be Necessary for Female Fertility (National Institutes of Health) - http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/apr2002/nichd-29.htm
U.S. Researchers Link Lead, Male Infertility (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) - http://www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/crntnws/2003mar/infertility.htm

Genetics

Genetics Home Reference: Androgen insensitivity syndrome (National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=androgeninsensitivitysyndrome
Genetics Home Reference: Congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=congenitalbilateralabsenceofvasdeferens

Dictionaries/Glossaries

Glossary of Infertility Terms (International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination) - http://www.inciid.org/index.php?page=glossary

Directories

Find a Reproductive Endocrinologist (Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility) - http://www.socrei.org/SREImap.html
Find a Reproductive Surgeon (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - http://www.reprodsurgery.org/frsia.html
Find a Urologist (American Urological Association) - http://urologyhealth.org/find_urologist/
Infertility: Clinic Sponsors - Listed Alphabetically by State (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/treatment/partners.jsp?name=treatment&tag;=resources

Organizations

American Society for Reproductive Medicine - http://www.asrm.org/
International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination - http://www.inciid.org/
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
National Women's Health Information Center (Dept. of Health and Human Services) - http://www.4woman.gov/
Also available in Spanish - http://www.4woman.gov/spanish/index.htm
Resolve - http://www.resolve.org/

Law and Policy

Health Insurance Coverage of Infertility Treatment: Legislative History (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/advocacy/insurance/facts/history.jsp?name=advocacy&tag;=insurance

Statistics

Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rates (2001) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/ART01/index.htm
Commonly Asked Questions About the U.S. ART Clinic Reporting System (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion) - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/drh/ART00/faq.htm
FASTATS: Infertility (National Center for Health Statistics) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/fertile.htm
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/invitro.html
Also available in Spanish - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/spanish/fertilizacisn.pdf

Women

Endometriosis (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - Links to PDF File - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/endometriosis.pdf
Fertility Awareness and Infertility (National Women's Health Information Center) - http://www.4woman.gov/Pregnancy/infertility.htm
Hydrosalpinx (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF File - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/hydrosa.pdf
Known Health Effects for DES (Diethylstilbestrol) Daughters (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/DES/consumers/about/effects_daughters.html
MedlinePlus: Premature Ovarian Failure (National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prematureovarianfailure.html
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=DS00423
Preserving Your Fertility: For Women (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/trying/preserving/preserving1.jsp?name=trying&tag;=preserving
Uterine Factors in Infertility (Resolve) - http://www.resolve.org/main/national/treatment/diagnosis/uterine/uterine.jsp?name=treatment&tag;=diagnosis

Men

Known Health Effects for DES (Diethylstilbestrol) Sons (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/DES/consumers/about/effects_sons.html
Low Sperm Count (Oligospermia) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=AN00848
Male Infertility (American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/766.xml
Also available in Spanish - http://familydoctor.org/e766.xml
Occupational Exposures May Affect Sperm Counts (American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZJ9D9TMGC⊂_cat=624
Orgasms with No Discharge of Semen (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=AN00630
Patient's Guide to Low Testosterone (Endocrine Society, Hormone Foundation) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZO7PDVDLC⊂_cat=57
Sperm Banking (American Foundation for Urologic Disease) - http://www.afud.org/education/infertility/spermbank.asp
Sperm Smarts: Optimizing Fertility (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=MC00023
Varicocele Repair: Will It Improve Fertility? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=AN00812
Vasectomy Reversal (American Urological Association) - http://urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=11&topic;=154

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Adoption - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/adoption.html
Reproductive Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/reproductivehealth.html
Men's Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/menshealth.html
Pregnancy and Reproduction - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pregnancyandreproduction.html
Women's Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/womenshealth.html

The primary NIH organization for research on Infertility is the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/

Page last updated: 05 November 2004
Topic last reviewed: 27 July 2004