Hello and welcome to the zero to finals podcast. My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be

talking to you about infertility. And you can find written notes on this topic at zero to finals.com

slash infertility or in the fertility section of the zero to finals, obstetrics and gynecology book.

So let's get straight into it.

Around 85% of couples will conceive within one year of regular unprotected sex.

One in seven couples will struggle to conceive naturally.

Investigation and referral for infertility should be initiated after the couple has been trying to conceive naturally. Investigation and referral for infertility should be initiated after the couple has been

trying to conceive without success for 12 months.

This can be reduced to six months if the woman is over the age of 35, as her ovarian stores

are likely to be already reduced and time is more precious.

Let's start with the causes of infertility.

30% are caused by sperm problems.

25% are caused by ovulation problems.

15% are caused by tubal problems where there's a problem with the fallopian tubes,

10% are caused by uterine problems, and 20% are unexplained.

40% of infertile couples have a mix of male and female factors.

Let's talk about some general advice.

There's some general lifestyle advice for couples that are trying to get pregnant.

Women should be taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily.

They should aim for a healthy body mass index or body weight.

Avoid smoking and drinking excessive alcohol,

it's worth reducing stress as this can negatively affect libido and the relationship,

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