7 factors that can affect fertility

Whether you’re planning to add to your family or start one, pregnancy can be a complicated process. Some people conceive right away, while others can take months or years to get a positive pregnancy test. Everyone has a unique set of circumstances, and the ability to become pregnant—and, just as important, to sustain that pregnancy—depends on many factors.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every eight couples has difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant. Single people who are trying to become pregnant may have additional challenges, as they navigate the world of egg and/or sperm donors, insemination, and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Some causes of infertility are controllable and avoidable, while others aren’t.

If you’re trying to become pregnant, or looking ahead to the future, there’s more to it than age (women over 35 have an increased risk of infertility; men also see a decline in fertility as they age). We spoke with OBGYN Peter Nassar, MD, of Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno, California, to learn how he prepares his patients for conception, and some of the factors that can affect fertility. Here’s what he had to say.