Skip to main content

Female Infertility: Diagnosis and Management

  • Chapter
Endocrinology and Diabetes

Abstract

Infertility is defined as failure of a couple not using any form of contraception to conceive after 12 months of regular sexual intercourse. It constitutes a major social and psychological burden amongst couples, and the prevalence is increasing. Conditions in the female partner account for the majority of cases of infertility. This chapter summarises the different etiological factors in female infertility, baseline investigative evaluation and the management options for couples presenting with female factor infertility.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Fertility: assessment and treatment for people with fertility problems. NICE clinical guideline 156. Issued Feb 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Yasmin E, Davies M, Conway G, Balen AH, British Fertility Society. Ovulation induction in WHO Type 1 anovulation: guidelines for practice. Hum Fertil (Camb). 2013;16(4):228–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Weiss RV, Clapauch R. Female infertility of endocrine origin. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2014;58(2):144–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. ESHRE Capri Workshop Group. Health and fertility in World Health Organization group 2 anovulatory women. Hum Reprod Update. 2012;18(5):586–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Fauser BC, Tarlatzis BC, Rebar RW, Legro RS, Balen AH, Lobo R, Carmina E, et al. Consensus on women’s health aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): the Amsterdam ESHRE/ASRM-Sponsored 3rd PCOS Consensus Workshop Group. Fertil Steril. 2012;97(1):28–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Rotterdam ESHRE/ASRM-Sponsored PCOS Consensus Workshop Group. Revised 2003 consensus on diagnostic criteria and long-term health risks related to polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod. 2004;19:41–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Ben-Shlomo I, Younis JS. Basic research in PCOS: are we reaching new frontiers? Reprod Biomed Online. 2014;28(6):669–83.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. The Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Diagnostic evaluation of the infertile female: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2012;98(2):302–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Broekmans FJ, Verweij PJ, Eijkemans MJ, Mannaerts BM, Witjes H. Prognostic models for high and low ovarian responses in controlled ovarian stimulation using a GnRH antagonist protocol. Hum Reprod. 2014;29(8):1688–97.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Farquhar C, Brown J, Marjoribanks J. Laparoscopic drilling by diathermy or laser for ovulation induction in anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;(6):CD001122.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Balen AH. Ovulation induction in the management of anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2013;373(1–2):77–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Homburg R, Hendriks ML, König TE, Anderson RA, Balen AH, Brincat M, Child T, et al. Clomifene citrate or low-dose FSH for the first-line treatment of infertile women with anovulation associated with polycystic ovary syndrome: a prospective randomized multinational study. Hum Reprod. 2012;27(2):468–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Tang T, Glanville J, Barth J, Hayden C, Balen AH. Combined lifestyle modification and metformin in obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind multicentre study. Hum Reprod. 2006;21:80–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Moll E, Bossuyt PM, Korevaar JC, Lambalk CB, van der Veen F. Effect of clomifene citrate plus metformin and clomifene citrate plus placebo on induction of ovulation in women with newly diagnosed polycystic ovary syndrome: randomised double blind clinical trial. BMJ. 2006;332(7556):1485.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Legro RS, Barnhart HX, Schlaff WD, Carr BR, Diamond MP, Carson SA, Steinkampf MP, et al.; Cooperative Multicenter Reproductive Medicine Network. Clomiphene, metformin, or both for infertility in the polycystic ovary syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2007;356(6):551–66.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Tang T, Lord JM, Norman RJ, Yasmin E, Balen AH. Insulin-sensitising drugs (metformin, rosiglitazone, pioglitazone, Dchiro-inositol) for women with polycystic ovary syndrome, oligo amenorrhoea and subfertility. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;(5):CD003053. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003053.pub5.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akwasi A. Amoako BSc, MBChB, PhD, MRCOG .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer-Verlag London

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Amoako, A.A., Balen, A.H. (2015). Female Infertility: Diagnosis and Management. In: Ajjan, R., Orme, S. (eds) Endocrinology and Diabetes. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2789-5_15

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2789-5_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-2788-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-2789-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics