What is infertility?

Infertility is the inability to conceive within a year of regular intercourse without contraception.

It has been shown that 30% of healthy couples conceive within three months of intercourse, 60% within seven months and the remaining 10% within a year. One year is therefore a sufficient period to assess a couple’s ability to conceive and to discuss infertility if conception has not occurred.

In Switzerland, a diagnosis of infertility is a starting point for treatment. The best clinics in Switzerland successfully treat both male and female infertility.

Infertility can take a primary or a secondary form (grade 1 and grade 2).

Primary infertility

This diagnosis is made by reproductive health specialists in women who have been unable to conceive within one year and who have never had a successful pregnancy before.

Primary infertility in women is most often associated with the following factors:

  • Abnormalities of the reproductive organs;
  • Endocrine disorders;
  • Inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system;
  • Infectious diseases of the genitourinary system;
  • Diseases of the uterus (cysts, fibroids, endometriosis);
  • Deformities of the ovaries (polycystic ovaries);
  • Antisperm antibodies (infertility due to an immune factor).

Secondary infertility

Women who have successfully conceived and given birth in the past, but are currently unable to conceive and carry a child, are diagnosed with “secondary infertility” or “grade 2 infertility”. These disorders of reproductive function can arise for several reasons:

  • Age. From the age of 30, a woman’s reproductive capacity declines over time. From 30 onwards, a woman’s reproductive capacity may decline owing to depletion of the ovarian reserve, adverse changes in the chromosomes of the egg cells and the “accumulation” of chronic diseases throughout the body.
  • Infections. Infections and inflammatory diseases can cause abnormal changes in the organs of the reproductive system.
  • Complications after an abortion or childbirth. Damage to the endometrium can prevent implantation of the embryo and cause secondary infertility.
  • Damage to the reproductive system. Polyps, cysts and fibroids can prevent pregnancy or threaten its outcome.
  • Immunological incompatibility between partners. A woman’s immune system may react aggressively to her husband’s reproductive cells, preventing conception and pregnancy. In this case, the cause is antibodies against sperm.

Diagnosing female infertility

At the best clinics in Switzerland, female infertility can be diagnosed quickly and painlessly at the first visit, and any associated urinary tract infections and their causes can be identified. The aim of the initial diagnosis is to identify the underlying cause of infertility. Once the cause has been found, further tests may be ordered to determine the method of treating the woman’s infertility.

Both primary and secondary infertility require thorough, comprehensive diagnostics:

  • Consultation with a gynaecologist.
  • Tests for infections of the reproductive system.
  • Ultrasound. The examination is carried out in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd phases of the menstrual cycle to assess the condition of the uterus, ovaries and other organs of the reproductive system.
  • Hormone tests.
  • Hysterosalpingoscopy or hysterosalpingography.
  • Hysteroscopy.
  • Laparoscopy.

Diagnosing and treating female infertility is a complex and lengthy process that calls for patience and determination on the part of the couple. The high level of expertise and professionalism of leading doctors at clinics in Switzerland in this field enables couples facing infertility to find happiness.