Reproductive System Basics

This is an excellent place to start your investigation. It will be easier to understand fertility by having a solid grasp of how the male and female reproductive systems function.

It’s common for people to think of infertility as a female problem. Many are surprised to learn that approximately 50% of infertility cases result from difficulties with the male reproductive system. This misconception is usually a result of not understanding the fertilization process and the anatomical factors that affect it.

Gender and Infertility

Female factors	~1/3 of cases
Male factors	~1/3 of cases
Both female and male factors or unexplained infertility	~1/3 of cases

Arming yourself with this basic but essential knowledge may help you and your partner understand what is happening as you are trying to conceive a child naturally, or as you are going through infertility treatments.

To guide you, here is some information about the male and female anatomy, and how it contributes to the reproduction process.