Does Genetics Play A Role in Infertility?

Infertility can result from many different causes including genetic causes, non-genetic causes, or a combination of both. Different types of evaluations and tests are often needed to establish cause (if possible). Detailed personal and family histories are assessed in order to prioritize which evaluations and tests will likely be the most informative.

A couple of proposed non-genetic causes may include:

- Drinking alcohol
- Smoking cigarettes
- Environmental exposure to harmful toxins, chemicals, or medications
- Uterine abnormalities (like bicornate uterus and fibroids)
- Age
- Stress

Some of the more common genetic causes may include:

- A parental chromosome abnormality (such as Klinefelter syndrome, Turner syndrome, Y chromosome deletion or a structural rearrangement in chromosome material called a chromosome translocation)

- A parental genetic condition (such as cystic fibrosis, Fragile X syndrome, galactosemia and sickle cell anemia)

For more information on the genetic and non-genetic causes of infertility, visit http://AccessDNA.com/condition/Infertility/207