Infertility affects more than just one person — it’s a shared journey. In the UK, around 1 in 7 couples experience difficulties conceiving, and in many of these cases, both partners play a role. Infertility is not a single issue with a simple fix — it’s often a combination of physical, hormonal, and sometimes lifestyle factors.
In this guide, we’ll explore what infertility means, why it happens, how it’s investigated, and what treatment options are available. Whether you’ve just started trying or have been on the path for a while, we’re here to help you make sense of it all.
- How common is infertility?
- What causes infertility?
- How is infertility investigated?
- Can standard fertility tests miss things?
- What treatments are available for infertility?
- Breaking the stigma
- How infertility affects your wellbeing
What is infertility?
Infertility is when a couple is unable to conceive after 12 months of regular unprotected sex. If the woman is over 35, this timeframe is reduced to six months. While the word can feel clinical, infertility simply means that conception isn’t happening as expected — it doesn’t mean pregnancy is impossible.
There are two main types:
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Primary infertility: difficulty conceiving when you’ve never been pregnant before.
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Secondary infertility: difficulty conceiving after already having a child.
Infertility can affect one or both partners and may be due to a combination of factors.
How common is infertility?
Infertility is more common than most people think. According to the NHS, 1 in 7 couples in the UK will have trouble conceiving. And in up to 50% of cases, a male factor is involved — whether that’s low sperm count, poor motility, or another issue.
Understanding this helps shift the narrative away from infertility being seen as a 'women's issue'. It’s often shared, and it deserves shared attention.
What causes infertility?
There are many possible causes of infertility, and often it's not just one thing. It helps to break it down:
Female causes may include:
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Ovulation issues (like PCOS)
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Blocked fallopian tubes
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Fibroids or uterine abnormalities
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Age-related decline in egg reserve
Male causes may include:
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Low sperm count (oligozoospermia)
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Poor motility or morphology
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Hormonal imbalances
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Varicoceles
Shared or unexplained causes:
Sometimes no single cause can be identified — this is called unexplained infertility. In these cases, subtle issues in both partners may add up. Lifestyle can also play a part, including:
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Smoking or excessive alcohol
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Poor nutrition
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High stress levels
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High or low body weight
Learn more in our nutrition and fertility blog
How is infertility investigated?
If you’ve been trying for a while, getting tests done can help you understand what’s going on. At Care Fertility, you’ll start with fertility tests before your consultation, so your doctor has everything they need to guide you.
We also offer the Pre-Treatment Bundle — the most comprehensive fertility testing package available. This includes all of the key blood tests (including FBC, HbA1c, TSH, AMH, and Vitamin D) upfront, which means we can speed up your journey to treatment.
By completing your blood tests before your consultation, your doctor can review all your results straight away. This reduces the wait time between consultation and treatment, helping you move forward faster and with full clarity.
For women, this typically includes:
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Hormone blood tests (HbA1c, TSH, FBC, Vit D, and AMH)
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Pelvis ultrasound scan to assess ovaries and uterus
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AMH testing for ovarian reserve
For men:
Explore more on fertility tests for men and fertility tests for women.
Can standard fertility tests miss things?
Sometimes. A semen analysis may show low motility or abnormal sperm shape, but it won’t tell you why. That’s where additional tests, like our SOS test, come in — helping us assess the impact of oxidative stress.
Likewise, hormone levels and scan results may appear normal in women, but there may still be functional issues that affect fertility.
That’s why working with a fertility specialist matters — so you can dig deeper and find the right path.
Read our blog on pre-treatment tests and why they matter
What treatments are available for infertility?
Depending on the cause(s), treatment may include:
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Lifestyle changes: stopping smoking, reducing alcohol, managing weight
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Ovulation induction: hormone medication to stimulate egg release
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IUI (intrauterine insemination): a procedure where prepared sperm is placed directly into the womb around the time of ovulation to help improve the chances of fertilisation
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IVF (In vitro fertilisation): fertilisation outside the body, where eggs and sperm are combined in the lab and embryos are transferred to the womb
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ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection): injecting a single sperm directly into an egg, often used for male factor infertility or previous IVF fertilisation issues
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Egg or sperm donation: this option may be recommended when one partner cannot use their own eggs or sperm. Donor treatments follow the same IVF process and are carefully matched to ensure the best outcome.
Each treatment is individualised — there’s no one-size-fits-all.
How infertility affects your wellbeing
Trying to conceive can take a toll emotionally and mentally. It’s normal to feel frustration, sadness, or even guilt. This is a shared experience, and it’s important to talk about it.
At Care Fertility, counselling is part of the support we offer to all patients — not just something optional. Our expert counsellors are BACP-registered and specialise in fertility counselling, so they understand the specific challenges you may be facing. Whether you attend sessions alone or with your partner, you’ll always be met with compassion and understanding.
You can read more about why counselling matters in our blog: Why fertility counselling matters
Breaking the stigma
Even though infertility affects so many people, it’s still something many feel they can’t talk about. Feelings of guilt, shame or isolation are sadly all too common — but they shouldn't be.
Breaking the stigma around infertility means encouraging open, honest conversations. The more we talk, the more we realise we’re not alone — and that support is out there.
If you're looking for reassurance, real-life experiences, or simply to feel seen, you can read how others have navigated their own paths in our patient stories.
Next steps: getting the right support
If you’ve been trying for 12 months (or 6 months if over 35), it’s time to take the next step. Our team will help you book the right tests and guide you from there.
Remember, you are not alone, and your experiences matter.
At Care Fertility, our dedicated team of fertility specialists deeply understand the complexities and challenges of infertility, and we are here to offer unwavering support to individuals and couples on their journey to parenthood.
With over two decades of experience, our experts provide compassionate care and treatment plans tailored to each person's unique needs and circumstances. Beyond medical interventions, our holistic approach includes emotional support, counselling services, and access to support groups, ensuring that our patients feel empowered and supported every step of the way.
Call us on 0800 564 2270 or speak get in touch with us by clicking here.
