Infertility is defined as the inability of a couple to become pregnant after one year of regular, unprotected intercourse.

• A. The inability of a couple to conceive after 1 year
• B. Infertility is inability to conceive after 6 months
• C. Inability to carry a pregnancy to live birth
• D. Absence of menses

Answer: (A)

Infertility is defined by the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected intercourse. That one-year benchmark helps clinicians distinguish a common delay in getting pregnant from a persistent reproductive problem that needs evaluation. The idea that infertility means conceiving after 6 months is not the standard definition, though some guidelines suggest earlier assessment for women over 35 or with risk factors. The notion of being unable to carry a pregnancy to live birth describes a problem with maintaining pregnancy after conception, not the ability to conceive itself. Absence of menses indicates amenorrhea, a menstrual disorder, and while it can affect fertility, it is not the definition of infertility.