Infertility and reproductive disorders
Infertility is a disorder that is usually invisible. About 10 percent of people are infertile—defined as unable to conceive after one year of trying—yet most are unaware until they’re unable to have children. Fortunately, techniques such as in vitro fertilization have opened possibilities for many previously infertile couples.
Environmental risk factors contribute to infertility, and often genetics do too. For example, problems with meiosis, the process through which egg and sperm cells acquire only one set of chromosomes, cause a significant percentage of infertility problems. New data and clinical techniques are providing additional hope for many couples.
Infertility research at The Jackson Laboratory
Jackson Laboratory researchers are working to improve our understanding of how eggs and sperm are produced and what sometimes goes wrong with the process. Their findings have the potential to yield better and more effective contraception in addition to providing hope for infertile couples seeking children.
