ABSTRACT
PIP: Infertility is a problem for many couples who wish to conceive and bear children. This paper investigates the relationships of educational status, age, onset of menarche, first sexual intercourse, menstrual cycle, gestational interval, and coital frequency to infertility in 509 Mexican women who were not exposed to any contraceptive method. This study was conducted to gain insight into when infertility studies should commence during the course of a woman's sexual life. Two thirds of the women were married. On average, menarche took place at age 13 years, first intercourse at age 20, and they had sexual intercourse 9 times/month. 68% of women became pregnant within the first 12 months of sexual activity; earliest pregnancy was at age 14 and the latest was at age 44. A significant linear correlation was observed between chronological age and gestational interval with the achievement of first pregnancy significantly related to age and coital frequency. Overall, first pregnancy was achieved in almost 90% of monthly menstruating women. Significant estimated risk of sterility exists for older women and when periods of expectancy for pregnancy are longer than 1 year.^ieng
