Blackmores
Facts sheet
  • The chance of conceiving in one cycle is 20-25% in normal couples.
  • Sperm can last for up to 5 days in the female reproductive tract but the egg only lasts for 12-24 hours – mistiming intercourse is a major reason for failure to conceive!
  • Fertility is a couple issue, not a woman’s issue!
  • Prior to ovulation, it takes 3 months for an egg to mature. A healthy environment is crucial for the egg both during this period and also during the early days following conception when a woman may not even know she is pregnant. Preconception care will help support a healthy reproductive system and a normal conception, and experts say women should behave as if they are pregnant even when they are trying to get pregnant.
  • The entire process of sperm formation takes approximately 3 months – today’s ejaculation is a product of a man’s health over the past 3 months!
  • A woman’s fertility is reduced with age due to a decline in egg quality & quantity, decreased uterine health, and hormonal changes.
  • Male fertility also declines with age. Sperm quality starts to decrease from age 35. Male factors contribute to between 30 and 50% of all infertility cases and the male factor is the single largest reason for Australian couples to undergo IVF.
  • Approximately 15% of all known pregnancies end in miscarriage, often with no known cause.
  • Infertility, or the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected intercourse, affects 1 in 6 Australian couples or 3 million Australians!
  • For 25% of infertile couples no definite cause will be found after medical testing.
  • It is now widely accepted that lifestyle factors impact significantly on fertility. These include the effects of age, illness, medications, toxins, social drugs, poor nutrition, and weight problems.