# Is infertility most-commonly (or even often) caused by promiscuity? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463 "2016-05-10T03:40:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andrea\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@andrea\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrea_green)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/1 "2016-05-10T03:40:07Z")
An elderly (and perhaps conservative) doctor (not an OBGYN or related specialist) recently made the statement that “Most modern infertility is caused by female promiscuity because promiscuity can lead to chronic inflaminatory pelvic disease”. My intuition tells me this may be a biased and incredibly erroneous (not to mention judgmental) statement but I have no knowledge in this area. Does too much sex (and sex with multiple partners which increases risk hygene issues ) really cause a significant proportion of infertility? ---
**Author:** ![CatastrophicFailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@CatastrophicFailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatastrophicFailure)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/2 "2016-05-10T03:55:05Z")
As you suspected, that doctor is wrong. T[he most common cause of infertility in women is Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).](http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/infertility/#causes) Also, STDs are not the only cause of PID - [it can be caused by other infections](http://www.cdc.gov/std/pid/stdfact-pid.htm). ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/3 "2016-05-10T03:57:12Z")
I’m open to correction, but my understanding is that an awful lot of infertility - male _and_ female - has no known cause. If that’s so, I don’t think we can ever say that “most infertility is caused by X”, no matter what is. The furthest we could hope to go is to say that “most cases of infertility _whose cause is known_ are caused by X”. _Can_ infertility be caused by promiscuity? Not directly, no, so far as I know. But there are certainly sexually transmitted diseases which can cause infertility and obviously the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases in any community will tend to be increased by promiscuity within that group. In general, all other things being equal, the more promiscuous you or your partner or partners are, the greater the likelihood that you will be exposed to a sexually transmitted disease. Of course, you can be promiscuous while practising safe sex. This will mitigate the risk, but not eliminate it entirely. You’ll still be at greater risk than if you had fewer sexual partners (and practised safe sex) or no sexual partners at all. I note that the good doctor specifies _female_ promiscuity as the cause of “most modern infertility”. That rings alarm bells, since you could be the chastest wife imaginable, and yet have your risk of exposure increased by the promiscuous behaviour of your male spouse. So, all in all, I’m thinking that while there _is_ a link between sexual promiscuity and the incidence of fertility-threatening diseases, this particular statement of the situation owes more to puritanism than to epidemiology. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/4 "2016-05-10T04:49:02Z")
In the pre-antibiotic era, untreated STDs could indeed cause infertility (more likely for women than men) and men who got mumps could become infertile, although this kind of thing isn’t/wasn’t as common as most people thought it was. It WAS, however, extremely painful if a mumps infection invaded the testes. :eek: Even though we have rampant antibiotic resistance, at least in the First World, it’s much less likely than it was a few decades ago. p.s. People whose STDs were serious enough to make them infertile were probably chronically ill and basically disabled in other ways, like neurosyphilis or gonococcal arthritis. ---
**Author:** ![andrea\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@andrea\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrea_green)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/5 "2016-05-10T05:02:49Z")
I did, of course, try googling my question before posting but initially I was searching for infertility and promiscuity. I didn’t think to try looking for the name of the disease (chronic inflammatory pelvic disease) that the doctor mentioned. So I just tried that and here is the top result that google spits out: “PID usually results from a sexually transmitted infection, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. It is the most common cause of female infertility and ectopic pregnancy…” > **[Page Is No Longer Available](https://www.umms.org/ummc/hl)** So assuming that source is credible, it seems perhaps the doctor was right after all. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/6 "2016-05-10T05:07:22Z")
So infertility as a consequence of an STD rather than overuse of plumbing? ---
**Author:** ![CatastrophicFailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@CatastrophicFailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatastrophicFailure)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/7 "2016-05-10T06:42:33Z")
> [@andrea\_green](#): > > I did, of course, try googling my question before posting but initially I was searching for infertility and promiscuity. I didn’t think to try looking for the name of the disease (chronic inflammatory pelvic disease) that the doctor mentioned. > > So I just tried that and here is the top result that google spits out: > > “PID usually results from a sexually transmitted infection, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. It is the most common cause of female infertility and ectopic pregnancy…” > > [Page Is No Longer Available](http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/pelvic-inflammatory-disease) > > So assuming that source is credible, it seems perhaps the doctor was right after all. That page hasn’t been updated since 2014, and many of it’s supporting research links are over a decade old. I would think the CDC would be a more credible source, especially since it is kept up to date. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/8 "2016-05-10T14:00:53Z")
I’ve been told by the anti-abortion crowd that most women who have abortions end up infertile. And some have seven or eight of them. Go figure ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/9 "2016-05-10T14:18:26Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I’ve been told by the anti-abortion crowd that most women who have abortions end up infertile. And some have seven or eight of them. > > Go figure I don’t know about “most”, but abortions can absolutely lead to [complications which cause infertility](http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1645.aspx?CategoryID=60) and repeated abortions increases chances of miscarriage. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/10 "2016-05-10T19:29:24Z")
I’m sure that “most women who have abortions end up infertile” is technically true, since _all_ women eventually end up infertile if they don’t die prematurely. Whether abortion speeds up the process is, of course, another question altogether… ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/11 "2016-05-10T19:52:53Z")
> [@andrea\_green](#): > > An elderly (and perhaps conservative) doctor (not an OBGYN or related specialist) recently made the statement that “Most modern infertility is caused by female promiscuity because promiscuity can lead to chronic inflaminatory pelvic disease”. Did she follow up with “It’s Jesus’ way of shaming sluts” or something like that? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/12 "2016-05-10T20:41:22Z")
I found this info on [ObGyn.net](http://www.obgyn.net/infertility/pelvic-inflammatory-disease): > [@](#): > > PID can come from any of a number of common bacteria. The sexually transmitted organisms chlamydia and gonorrhea are the most common “bugs” found in the tubes of women affected with PID…Certain activities place one at increased risk for PID. The most important is unprotected sexual activity…Having multiple partners, early loss of virginity, or dating and sleeping with multiple partners at one time are all risk factors for PID (and other diseases, such as hepatitis, syphilis, herpes, HIV, genital warts, and abnormal Pap smears and cervical cancer). So it seems that PID is most commonly, but not always, caused by early and/or multiple partner sexual activity. The [Mayo Clinic](http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/female-infertility/basics/causes/con-20033618), however, indicates that PCOS is the primary cause of infertility in women and their page on [PCOS](http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/basics/causes/con-20028841) does not list sexual activity as a cause. Based on that data I would conclude that PID through sexual activity is a cause for female infertility, but not the primary cause. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/13 "2016-05-11T00:51:53Z")
Useful discussion here [Female Infertility Causes](http://www.healthcommunities.com/female-infertility/causes.shtml) PCOS is the largest cause overall but PID is a close second and is very much related to STDs and haivng multiple sexual partners significantly increases the risk of STDs. The old doc was wrong on absolute numbers but having a lot of different sex partners can absolutely be a real world risk for infertility via STD transmission. > [@](#): > > Causes of Infertility in Women Several factors have been associated with an increased risk for infertility, including being 35 years of age or older, a history of pelvic inflammatory disease, and various lifestyle behaviors. There has been speculation that exposure to certain environmental toxins may cause infertility, but the relationship has not been proven. Conception cannot happen without ovulation. The absence of ovulation, anovulation, may be affected by the factors mentioned above, but its most common cause is polycystic ovary syndrome. Abnormal levels of prolactin (PRL) or thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) can also cause anovulation. Another cause for anovulation is hypothalamic ammenorrhea, which often is seen in very thin women, especially those who exercise excessively. This manifestation often occurs in Olympic development athletes. - > [@](#): > > Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Untreated STDs & Infertility Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a very serious pelvic inflammation that results from untreated vaginal or cervical infections, most commonly chlamydia and gonorrhea. If left untreated, bacteria make their way up through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and surrounding tissues. PID does serious damage to the reproductive tract, often scarring and blocking the fallopian tubes. Scarring prevents fertilization from ever occurring. PID is one of the major causes of infertility among women of reproductive age. In one study, for example, 21 percent of women with PID were infertile compared to only 3 percent of women without PID. And the more episodes of PID a woman experiences, the greater her risk for infertility. However, after PID treatment, pregnancy often can be achieved through IVF. Infertility & Lifestyle Because PID results from untreated sexually transmitted infections, lifestyle choices that increase the likelihood that a woman will become infected with an STD also increase her chances of PID-induced infertility. These include not using a latex barrier (a condom or other form of STD protection) to prevent the transmission of STDs, as well as having multiple sex partners. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/14 "2016-05-12T21:35:46Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I’ve been told by the anti-abortion crowd that most women who have abortions end up infertile. And some have seven or eight of them. > > Go figure Certainly not in my case. And you can infer whatever you like from that. I’m guessing that has to be a scare tactic. Maybe with early twentieth century backroom coat hanger jobs, but they haven’t done it that way for forty or fifty years. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/15 "2016-05-14T22:33:38Z")
> [@andrea\_green](#): > > An elderly (and perhaps conservative) doctor As the Mayo article quoted in the first response made clear, STD’s are a cause of blocked fallopian tubes, and blocked fallopian tubes are a cause of infertility. What may also be relevant is that STD and associated infertility is much less common now than it was before serologic testing and antibiotic treatment. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/16 "2016-05-14T22:44:40Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > Certainly not in my case. And you can infer whatever you like from that. > > I’m guessing that has to be a scare tactic. Maybe with early twentieth century backroom coat hanger jobs, but they haven’t done it that way for forty or fifty years. I think Annie was trying to point out the rediculousness of the two statements together - abortion can’t lead to both infertility and 6-7 more pregnancies. She is not making a judgement on people who have abortions, but people who say stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/17 "2016-05-15T03:11:08Z")
The CDC does not even mention pelvic inflammatory disease or STDs as major causes of infertility. It talks about age, polycystic ovarian syndrome, smoking, stress, and weight gain. > **[Infertility | CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/infertility/)** > > Common questions about infertility Abortions (at least, safe ones conducted by doctors) almost never lead to infertility. That’s a lie the pro-lifers pass around. A coat-hanger abortion, yes, that can. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/18 "2016-05-15T05:35:57Z")
Dude, check out posts 5, 9 and 13. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/19 "2016-05-15T07:38:14Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I’ve been told by the anti-abortion crowd that most women who have abortions end up infertile. And some have seven or eight of them. > > Go figure Then how did they remain fertile enough to need seven or eight abortions? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463/20 "2016-05-15T07:43:01Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Then how did they remain fertile enough to need seven or eight abortions? The need for actions to have consequences, even logically inconsistent ones. If actions didn’t have consequences, it might imply things about the nature of divine intervention and how much Jesus really cares about the affairs of humans. And we can’t have that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-infertility-most-commonly-or-even-often-caused-by-promiscuity/754463.md?page=2)