Fertility Quiz
1. Men and women are equally likely to have fertility problems.
True: Men and women are equally likely to have a fertility problem. About one-third of infertility cases are caused by women's problems. Another one-third of fertility problems are due to the man. The other cases are caused by a mixture of male and female problems or by unknown problems.
2. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can affect a woman's chances of becoming pregnant.
True: STIs such as gonorrhea and chlamydia are common infertility risk factors in women that can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can result in permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues – all of which may adversely affect a woman's chances of getting pregnant. If untreated, about 10%-15% of women with chlamydia will develop PID. Chlamydia can also cause fallopian tube infection without any symptoms.
Source: American Society for Reproductive Medicine and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3. Which factor(s) may increase the risk of infertility in women: Excessive alcohol use, smoking, stress or all of the above?
All of the above: There are several factors that can increase the risk of infertility in women. Besides age and smoking, other factors include excessive alcohol use, stress, being overweight or underweight, STIs, and health problems that cause hormonal changes.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Infertility
4. Which of the following may also increase the risk of infertility in women: Irregular periods or no menstrual periods, endometriosis, more than one miscarriage or all of the above?
All of the above: There are several factors that can increase the risk of infertility. Irregular periods or no menstrual periods, endometriosis, or more than one miscarriage can all affect a woman's ability to get pregnant.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Infertility
5. The most fertile days of a woman's cycle can vary from month to month.
True: A woman is most fertile around 1 to 2 days before ovulation (when the egg is released from the ovary). Ovulation occurs on different days for different women. It can vary month to month for many women, and some women can have longer or shorter cycles. Ovulation typically happens for most women 11 to 21 days into a menstrual cycle.
Source: The American Pregnancy Association
6. Women who are overweight or obese are more likely than healthy-weight women to take more than a year to conceive.
True: Obesity increases your risk of infertility. Women who are overweight or obese have a higher rate of pregnancy loss, complications for mother and baby along with an increased chance of a cesarean section.
7. If you’re over the age of 35, after how long of trying to conceive might it be time to have a fertility evaluation: 1 year, 2 years, 3 months or 6 months?
6 Months: The ASRM guidelines state that if you are a woman over the age of 35 and have been trying to conceive for over 6 months, then it may be time to have a fertility evaluation. The same applies if you're under 35 and have been trying for over a year.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics