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Abstract
Infertility is a common problem affecting one couple in six. It can be defined as the incapacity to fulfil pregnancy after reasonable time of sexual intercourse with no contraceptive measures taken. The evidence for changes in the prevalence of infertility is difficult to establish. This increase could be due to at least four factors: delayed childbearing, alterations in semen quality due to habits such as cigarette smoking and alcohol, changes in sexual behaviour and eliminations of most taboos.First, the introduction of assisted reproduction technologies has provided an opportunity to study basic reproductive processes. Second, societal changes have occurred such as the increase in the proportion of women over 35 years old seeking pregnancy. This fact is due to a later age for marriage and postponement of pregnancy. Third, the development of molecular biology and genetics has become very important for the study, diagnosis and assessment of couples, many of them considered until now as “unexplained infertile couples”. There are many causes of infertility, including some that medical intervention can treat. The most common cause of female infertility is ovulatory problems which generally manifest themselves by sparse or absent menstrual periods. Women who are fertile experience a natural period of fertility before and during ovulation, and they are naturally infertile for the rest of the menstrual cycle. Fertility awareness methods are used to discern when these changes occur by tracking changes in cervical mucus or basal body temperature.