Diseases

The state of being unable to produce offspring; in a woman it is an inability to conceive; in a man it is an inability to impregnate.

Persons most commonly affected: Adults of both sexes.
Organ or part of body involved: Reproductive organs.
Causes and risk factors: Chemotherapy commonly causes damage to the sex organs. In women, damage to the ovaries causes reproductive problems, or infertility, and premature menopause in some. In men, damage to the testes, the organs that produce sperm, results in sterility. Some men regain their ability to reproduce, however recovery is very slow. Others have permanent sterility.