Infertility

Infertility is the inability to become pregnant. It can have many causes, both physical and emotional, and can occur because of problems in the woman, man, or both. It is grouped into two categories: primary infertility, which refers to couples who have not become pregnant after at least one year of unprotected intercourse; and secondary infertility, which refers to couples who have been pregnant at least once but are not able to get pregnant now. A woman’s peak fertility occurs in her early 20s. After age 35, the chance that a woman can get pregnant drops considerably. Doctors treat infertility depending on the woman’s age and the cause.

UAB Medicine’s nationally recognized physicians have years of experience in diagnosing and treating both male and female infertility. We treat infertility with a team approach that includes a urologist, a reproductive endocrinologist, specialized nurses, and laboratory scientists. A variety of conventional treatments are available, including corrective microsurgery. For those who do not have a condition that can be treated, procedures such as intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be used to help a couple get pregnant. Our fertility experts will determine a treatment plan that is best suited for each individual man and his partner. As a major center for research, UAB Medicine continues to investigate new advances in fertility treatment aimed at increasing the chances of conceiving healthy babies.

Care Providers

Peter Kolettis, MD Urology Deidre Gunn, MD Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility William Hurd, MD Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Ricardo Azziz, MD Endocrinology, Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Courtney Gregory, CRNP Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Sukhkamal Campbell, MD Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

Videos

Meet the Team: Sukhkamal Campbell

A reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Campbell specializes in fertility preservation for cancer patients, helping them focus on both their physical and mental health.

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Inside UAB Medicine’s In Vitro Fertilization Lab

In this video, we tour the in vitro fertilization (IVF) lab at the UAB Women and Infants Center.

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Mallory’s story: first baby born from UAB Medicine’s uterus transplant program

In May 2023, Mallory became the first patient to give birth via a uterus transplant outside of a clinical trial, and her son was the first baby born from UAB Medicine’s uterus transplant program.

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Resources

• UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
• National Institutes of Health – Infertility and Fertility
• UAB Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Services
• IVF: Step by step

Related Specialties

• Amniocentesis
• Cesarean Section
• Fetal Neck Masses
• High Risk Pregnancy
• Multiple Births
• OBGYN Services
• Preemclampsia
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy and Heart Disease
• Prematurity
• Transplant Services
• Uterine Transplant