One-third of the time, the diagnosis is due to female infertility, one-third of the time it is linked to male infertility, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

What Causes Female Infertility?
Female infertility can be caused by a number of factors, including:
• Damage to fallopian tubes. Damage to the fallopian tubes (which carry the eggs from the ovaries to the uterus) can prevent contact between the egg and sperm. Pelvic infections, endometriosis, and pelvic surgeries may lead to scar formation and fallopian tube damage.

• Hormonal causes. Some women have problems with ovulation. Synchronized hormonal changes leading to the release of an egg from the ovary and the thickening of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) in preparation for the fertilized egg do not occur. These problems may be detected using basal body temperature charts, ovulation predictor kits, and blood tests to detect hormone levels.

• Cervical causes. A small group of women may have a cervical condition in which the sperm cannot pass through the cervical canal. Whether due to abnormal mucus production or a prior cervical surgical procedure, this problem may be treated with intrauterine inseminations.

• Unexplained infertility. The cause of infertility in approximately 20% of couples will not be determined using the currently available methods of investigation.

How To Determine the Infertility?
If female infertility is suspected, your doctor may order several tests, including:
• A blood test to check hormone levels
• An endometrial biopsy to check the lining of the uterus
There are two diagnostic tests that may be helpful in detecting scar tissue and tubal obstruction:
• Hysterosalpingography (HSG). This procedure involves either ultrasound or X-rays taken of the reproductive organs to diagnoses if the fallopian tubes are open or blocked.
• Laparoscopy. This procedure enables the doctor to view the outside of the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes to detect abnormal growths, as in endometriosis.

Medical therapy and in vitro fertilization can increase the chance of pregnancy in women diagnosed with unexplained infertility.