Secondary infertility: Unexpected and Difficult to Deal With

Secondary infertility: Unexpected and Difficult to Deal With

Secondary infertility occurs when couples that have previously been able to get pregnant face difficulty conceiving additional children. This includes couples who initially conceive and miscarry, and couples who successfully bear one or more children. Like primary infertility (the inability to conceive at all), secondary infertility is diagnosed after 12 months of properly timed intercourse does not result in pregnancy. At this point in time, couples should seek medical intervention to determine the cause (and potential solutions for) their secondary infertility.

Causes of Secondary Infertility

There are many reasons why secondary infertility may occur. This includes advanced maternal age, because female infertility drops sharply after age 35. Additionally, trauma from previous pregnancies and births can contribute to secondary infertility. This is especially true if a cesarean section is required to deliver earlier babies.

Scar tissue that results from this procedure can cause a number of complications, including blocked fallopian tubes, which keep eggs from reaching the cervix to be fertilized, scarring in the cervix, which can prevent sperm from reaching eggs and scarring in the uterus which makes it harder for fertilized eggs to implant.

In addition, lifestyle changes between the time of conceiving earlier children and current attempts can help explain secondary infertility. Drastic weight losses or weight gains can prevent ovulation and pregnancy, as can infections (especially sexually transmitted diseases). Finally, some diseases can cause hormonal abnormalities, as can exposure to toxic chemicals, which can decrease both male and female infertility.

Dealing with Secondary Infertility

Secondary infertility is often as difficult to deal with as primary infertility. For one thing, most couples that have successfully conceived assume they will be able to do so again with no problem. Finding that this is not the case can be a shock. Additionally, couples who become very concerned about being able to conceive a second child may experience a sense of guilt with regards to their first child – they feel as if their first child should be "enough" and they shouldn't be so distressed about dealing with secondary infertility.

Treatment for secondary infertility is very similar to treatment for primary infertility. After one year of properly timed intercourse fails to result in pregnancy, couples should have basic diagnostic tests run by their gynecologists or obstetrician. If these basic tests do not uncover the problem, couples should seek more advanced diagnostics and treatment from a fertility clinic. There are a variety of fertility drugs and assisted reproduction techniques that can help couples achieve pregnancy.