Infertility affects between 80 and 100 million couples worldwide
Timed sex, never-ending costs, raging hormones and disappointment…
… sadly, infertility affects between 80 to 100 million couples worldwide.
Whether you’ve just started TTC (trying to conceive) or are already having TTTC (trouble trying to conceive) – here are five things you may not have known about infertility, courtesy of the experts at Surgiclinic Fertility (a world class fertility clinic set to open in Nelspruit in February, 2020):
1. Age is a big deal!
Some reasons for the relatively high rates of infertility include people trying for a baby later in life, unhealthy lifestyles, poor access to healthcare, and inadequate access to assisted reproductive techniques.
Age is probably the most important prognostic factor influencing both spontaneous pregnancy and the success of most fertility treatment programmes.
2. Male factor infertility is just as common…
Although traditionally regarded as a female problem, male factors affecting fertility are just as common, and often denied or neglected due to a variety of reasons.
The good news is that, although sperm factors are often irreversible, it will be possible for most men to assist in conception via an assisted reproductive technique like IVF and ICSI!
3. Reasons for infertility can remain undiagnosed
In most cases, known factors contributing to infertility are detected and diagnosed through a range of tests. However, in roughly 30% of cases, due to unavailability of tests to certain parts of the reproductive process, reasons for infertility remain undiagnosed.
4. Almost all couples can be helped to have a successful pregnancy…
… but in some cases costs, and unavailability of specific treatments and skilled professionals will prevent appropriate interventions.
5. Stress CAN interfere with fertility!
Stress; whether emotional or physical can interfere with normal ovulation because the brain controls the process of ovulation and can switch the reproductive system off if circumstances are deemed to be unfavourable for healthy reproduction.
For more information, contact Surgiclinic on +27 (0)13 752 6688
LARA BESTBIER
Writer. Creative. Word-nerd. Aspiring photographer. Oh, and mom to the only little girl more demanding than me. Parenting editor at All4Women (e-mail me at lara@all4women.co.za).
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