Spontaneous Conception and Infertility

2. Fertilization

   Sperm, which can wait in the Fallopian tubes for several days, must fertilize the egg within 12 to 16 hours of ovulation.

3. Early embryonic development

   The fertilized egg (embryo) moves through the Fallopian tube and starts to divide the day after fertilization. In two days, it has 4 cells, in three days, 8 cells, and in five to seven days, it has 80 or more cells.

4. Endometrial lining

   The female hormones estradiol (estrogen, E2) and progesterone, produced by the ovulating follicle, prepare the lining of the uterus for implantation.

5. Implantation

   Five to seven days after ovulation, the embryo hatches out of its eggshell, implants into the lining of the uterus, and starts to produce the pregnancy hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). HCG can be detected with a blood pregnancy test approximately 9 to 10 days after ovulation. A urine pregnancy test will typically need close to two weeks after ovulation to turn positive.

Rate of conception in the general population:

Once a couple has been sexually active without contraception for a year, it is unlikely that they will achieve spontaneous pregnancy. There is approximately 1 to 2 in 100 probability of conception during the next ovulation. After two years, the probability approaches 1 in 1000.

There are many possible causes of infertility. They include male and female structural problems, functional disorders, genetic causes of infertility, hormonal imbalances, and immunological aspects of infertility.

The majority of infertility causes will fall into one or more of the following three categories:

• Male Factor Infertility: Sperm production and sperm quality
• Ovulation and Hormonal Production: Egg production, egg quality, and preparation of the uterine lining for implantation
• Passage: The joining of sperm and egg in the Fallopian tubes and transport of the fertilized egg to the uterus

Female Age and Fertility:

The loss of female fertility is due to the loss of high-quality eggs. The receptiveness of the uterus is not decreased (Donor Egg IVF remains a valuable treatment). This loss of fertility magnifies the impact of any other infertility factors present.

IVF Diet and Lifestyle:

Your physical condition could make an enormous difference between successfully achieving a birth and going through years of frustration. Optimizing your fertility potential can have a considerable impact on the probability of a successful outcome.