Infertility Causes

When you are having difficulty trying to have a baby for an extended period of time, you may be experiencing a symptom of infertility. Infertility can be caused by many different circumstances, some physical, some mental. Unlike the times when you don't want to become pregnant, because of your age or financial circumstances or career advancement, and you do, not becoming a parent plays havoc with your mind.

From a purely physical point of view, there are many reasons for infertility:

• PCOS - cysts
• Anatomical abnormalities - cervical or uterine
  
• Tubal Obstruction
  
• Low sperm count
• Age
• Immunologic reaction to sperm

Each of these, and others, have a variety of causes and circumstances that create havoc in our systems. None of this precludes the idea that over-indulgence in alcohol or substance abuse, obesity or underweight can also be factors in this area.

When you're trying to get pregnant and know that something is wrong, the first thing that comes to mind is a medical condition about infertility.  You've heard it costs a lot of money, but have no idea how much.  But there is a lot more you need to know about infertility and infertility insurance before you even go to the doctor.

The cost of IVF (in-vitro fertiliztion) for example may run into the 10's of thousands of dollars.  For many women, IVF treatments are not just a one-time thing.  Cryopreservation or other high-tech treatments can be financially prohibitive without infertility insurance.  The interesting thing, however, is that not many states mandate infertility insurance.  At present there are only 15 that do.  This is unlikely to change even with the new health insurance law that is being hashed out in congress.

Infertility insurance only covers certain conditions and only certain groups of people.  For example age is a factor when insurance is related to infertility treatments.  Women over 40 are generally not covered, nor are women who have not been trying to conceive for less than a year.