Causes of infertility : Infertility is the failure to conceive when after to 1-2 years of regular unprotected sex i.e., inability to produce offspring. Infertility can be defined as relative sterility. Infertility is caused by defects found in male, female as well as both.

Infertility in Males:

• Cryptorchidism or failure of testes to descend into scrotum.lt causes azospermia. 

• Absence or blockage of vasa deferentia and vasa efferentia.

• Hyperthermia or higher scrotal temperature due to varicocele (varicose veins), hydrocele or filariasis, tight undergarment, thermal undergarment or working in hot environment, 

• Infection like mumps after puberty, infection of seminal vesicle. 

• Alcoholism inhibits spermatogenesis. 

• Gonadotropin deficiency. 

• Cytotoxic drugs, radiations, antidepressant and anticonvulsant drugs depress spermatogenesis.

Infertility in Females : 

The various causes of infertility in females are as follow :

• Anovulation (nonovulation) and oligoovulation (deficient ovulation). 

• Inadequate growth and functioning of corpus luteum resulting in reduced progesterone secretion and deficient secretory changes in endometrium. 

• The ovum is not liberated but remains trapped inside the follicle. 

• Fallopian tube may fail to pick up ovum, have impaired motility, loss of cilia and blocked lumen. 

• Noncanalisation of uterus. 

• Defective uterine endometrium due to either reduced or excessive secretory activity. 

• Congenital malformation of uterus. 

• Fibroid uterus. 

• Defects in cervix like congenital elongation, occlusion of cervix by a polyp, cervicitis, scanty or excessive cervical mucus. 

• Defective vaginal growth like atresia and transverse septum.