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Understanding infertility

When you first learn about infertility, it may feel overwhelming and isolating, but it’s important to know you’re not alone.

In fact, infertility is more common than you may think, and is just as likely to impact those with female anatomy as those with male anatomy.

Infertility
in numbers

Infertility affects about

1 in 6

Australian couples of reproductive age1
Infertility is just as likely whether a person is assigned

female or

male at birth1

1 in 3 cases
are related to fertility issues in people assigned female at birth
1 in 3 cases
are related to fertility issues in people assigned male at birth
1 in 3 cases
are related to fertility issues with both or ultimately the cause is unknown

Title

Subtitle

Quantity of eggs

Seek answers

Females have a fixed number of eggs at birth, and as they age there is a natural depletion in egg count. Quantity is often categorised as low, normal or high ovarian reserve; as the term suggests, this categorises whether there is a low, normal or high egg count still available.1,3

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Quality of eggs

With age, egg quality decreases and the likelihood of chromosomal abnormalities (irregularities in DNA) increases.4 If you become pregnant at an older age, you may undergo genetic testing to check for possible abnormalities of your embryo before proceeding with pregnancy.

Many factors impact fertility – some you don’t have control over, such as age and conditions affecting the reproductive system, and some you do, such as lifestyle choices.

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In this brochure, learn about the many factors that may impact infertility.

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If you want to know more about how to manage these risks, talk to your fertility specialist, nurse or other healthcare professional.

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  15. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. What are some possible causes of female infertility? Available at: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility/conditioninfo/causes/causes-female. Accessed April 2024.
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  19. Oyelowo T. Pelvic inflammatory disease. In: Mosby’s guide to women’s health. Missouri: Mosby, 2007: pp 168–71.
  20. Cleveland Clinic. Uterine factor infertility. Reviewed January 2020. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17738-uterine-factor-infertility. Accessed April 2024.
  21. Healthy Male (Andrology Australia). Male infertility. Reviewed May 2018. Available at: https://www.healthymale.org.au/files/resources/male_infertility_fact_sheet_healthy_male_2019.pdf. Accessed April 2024.
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