The concept of infertility has been associated with misconceptions, most notably considering it synonymous with sexual impotence or a problem specific to women. However, scientific truth distinguishes infertility from sexual ability. A man may be able to have normal intercourse but be unable to fertilize an egg, and a woman may be fully prepared for pregnancy but suffer from problems that prevent it from occurring. Infertility is not simply a condition specific to one partner or the other. Rather, it results from a disruption in one of three basic conditions for fertilization: the man producing sperm capable of fertilization, the woman producing a viable egg, and one of the sperm successfully fertilizing the egg within the female reproductive tract. One of the paradoxes that has further complicated the understanding of infertility in the modern era is the proliferation of contraceptives. It has become difficult to distinguish between actual cases of infertility and cases of delayed childbearing resulting from prolonged use of these methods. Many couples may be unable to conceive but resort to contraception without being aware of their condition, making studies on infertility rates even more complex. With the increasing influence of environmental factors and modern lifestyles, this problem is taking on new dimensions, requiring a reconsideration of the way we deal with and understand it, away from simplistic, traditional explanations.