Starting the journey to have a baby can bring up a mix of feelings – from thrill to worry. For lots of women and couples, becoming parents isn’t as easy as expected. Issues like infertility and miscarriage can pop up out of nowhere. In this detailed guide, I explore all the ins and outs of fertility. My goal is to help you understand the challenges of conceiving, take care of your fertility health, and navigate through the overwhelm, so you can find joy and purpose in your journey.
1 – Fertility Insights: Navigating Infertility, Miscarriage & Reproductive Health
A – Breaking the Silence: Understanding Infertility & Miscarriage
Infertility is a common issue that affects around one in every six people worldwide. This means that about 17.5% of adults experience difficulties in getting pregnant. Infertility is when a couple is unable to have a baby even after trying for 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. There are two main types of infertility: primary, which means no pregnancy has ever occurred and secondary, which happens after a successful pregnancy in the past.
Additionally, miscarriages can be challenging experiences for many families. Statistics show that it happens in around 15% of pregnancies. I’ve found that many women experience these challenging moments in isolation. However, when they decide to open up, they often discover that many women around them have been through a similar experience.
B – The Role of Ovulation Issues & PCOS in Infertility
In the last ten years, studies have shown that more and more people are having trouble getting pregnant. It’s important to understand how many people around the world are dealing with infertility so we can help them better. One big reason for infertility in women is trouble with ovulation. In fact, about 25% of women who have difficulty conceiving can trace it back to ovulation issues, which is one of the main reasons why some people struggle to have a baby.
This difficulty with ovulation is often seen in conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which affects around 8-13% of women of reproductive age. However, many women may not even know they have it, with up to 70% going undiagnosed worldwide.
C – Unexplained Infertility: Complex Factors & Causes
Struggling to conceive can be caused by a variety of factors, whether they stem from the male, female or a combination of both partners, or sometimes remain unexplained. Fertility specialists have identified that 30% of infertility cases are linked solely to the female partner, another 30% solely to the male partner, 30% a combination of factors from both partners and the remaining 10% have unknown causes. ‘Unexplained Infertility’ is exactly that, UN-explained; which means that the results of the standard fertility evaluations of both partners are totally normal and that there’s apparently nothing preventing you from being able to naturally conceive. It literally means that your reproductive system is fine and that there’s no significant cause to explain the delay in conception and the reason why it’s not happening is NOT clear and cannot be figured out.
Infertility can be influenced by a range of elements, including biological, environmental and lifestyle factors. It’s crucial to understand the root causes to provide effective treatment and support. Age, genetics, exposure to environmental toxins and lifestyle choices all play a role in fertility levels. For example, the global decline in sperm counts and the decrease in fertility rates in women over 35 highlight the complex interplay of these factors.
By exploring these contributing factors, individuals and couples can gain valuable insights into potential challenges and take proactive steps to improve their fertility and reproductive health.
About the Author: Anne-Marie Pereira
