Infertility

Infertility is not a single disease but a clinical situation in which pregnancy does not occur after a sustained period of trying, or pregnancy does not continue to live birth. In conventional medicine, infertility is often defined as failure to conceive after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse for women under 35, or after 6 months for women 35 and older. Causes may involve ovulatory dysfunction, diminished ovarian reserve, tubal disease, endometriosis, uterine factors, male-factor issues such as low sperm count or azoospermia, sexual dysfunction, metabolic disease, thyroid problems, or combinations of several contributors. In some couples or individuals, evaluation is labeled unexplained infertility when standard testing does not identify a clear cause.

Treatment options vary because infertility is deeply cause-dependent, time-sensitive, and personal. Western care often focuses on diagnostic workup, ovulation support, hormonal management, surgical correction when relevant, and assisted reproductive technologies such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). Eastern approaches, including acupuncture, traditional herbal medicine, and mind-body regulation, are often explored to address stress, cycle regularity, pain, sleep, and overall reproductive health. Research suggests some integrative strategies may support symptom management or treatment experience, but evidence quality differs widely by intervention and by the underlying diagnosis. Age, duration of infertility, sperm factors, menstrual patterns, prior pregnancy losses, and urgency around conception all influence which options may fit best.