Infertility is the general term for being unable to conceive after a year of unprotected sex. According to the CDC, it's a problem for 2.1 million couples in the United States today. There are three classifications of infertility: Primary infertility, the condition of a couple who have never been able to conceive; Secondary infertility, which means the couple has had child or children in the past, but is having trouble now; and Recurrent Miscarriage, which means the couple has had at least two miscarriages in a row. This last one is important because while up to 25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, less than 5% of women will have two in a row.
For those who have had fertility problems or suspect they may have them, I'd like to address a few of the myths that you may believe without realizing they are false.
- Women are not the only ones with "infertility." As many men as women may have fertility problems, and often infertility is linked to a combination of problems from both sides.
- Some people will tell you that your infertility problems are all in your head, but simply wanting a baby enough will not solve problems like endometriosis and low sperm count. (I'm not really sure how this myth came into being, by the way. How many teenagers do you think would get pregnant if not wanting a baby was all it took to avoid it?)
- While smoking, drinking, STDs and other unhealthy lifestyle choices can affect fertility, most infertility problems are not linked to lifestyle (just as not all unhealthy lifestyles actually prevent pregnancies).
- Despite the fact that fertility does decrease as we age, older couples are not the only ones with fertility problems.
- "Just relax" is not the solution to your fertility problem. Yes, some people experience problems because of stress, but if a couple if experiencing true infertility, consulting a doctor about fertility treatments will be far more effective than just "forgetting about it." If you want a baby and have infertility probelms, instead of ignoring it or forgetting about it, do something. About 2/3 of couples who seek help are able to get pregnant eventually, while the number of couples who get pregnant with fertility problems without treatment is more like 5%. The odds are much more in favor of helping those who help themselves.