What is fertility?
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Fertility is the ability to have children. It means that a person’s body can produce sperm or eggs and, if the conditions are right, create a baby. Both men and women have their own reproductive systems that play a role in fertility, and there are many factors that can affect how well these systems work.
How does fertility work?
For pregnancy to happen, an egg from a woman needs to be fertilised by a sperm from a man. This is why fertility involves both male and female reproductive health.
In women, fertility is linked to the menstrual cycle. Every month, the ovaries release an egg in a process called ovulation. If sperm reaches the egg at the right time, fertilisation can occur. The fertilised egg then moves to the uterus, where it can develop into a baby. If the egg is not fertilised, the body sheds the uterus lining during a period.
In men, fertility depends on producing healthy sperm. The testicles make sperm continuously, and these sperm mix with a fluid called semen. During ej...
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