Fertility problems are also sometimes called infertility. Infertility does not always mean that you cannot get pregnant. It just means that you may need help to get pregnant or get your partner pregnant.
Around 1 in 6 heterosexual couples in Ireland have fertility problems.
Getting help
Talk to your GP or a fertility specialist if you:
- are struggling to get pregnant
- need to use donor eggs or sperm
- are in a same-sex couple
- are single
- are trans or non-binary
When to go to your GP about fertility problems
Types of infertility
There are 2 types of infertility.
They are:
- primary infertility - if you have never been pregnant and you're struggling to get pregnant
- secondary infertility - if you have had 1 or more pregnancies in the past (including miscarriages) but you're now struggling to get pregnant
Many things can affect your fertility, including age and health conditions.