diagnosis guide
If you’ve just received a medical diagnosis, or you’re concerned that something in your present or past health history might be jeopardizing your fertility, check here for quick info on common medical conditions and how they can affect conception and pregnancy.
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Secondary Infertility
What It Is
The inability of a couple to achieve a pregnancy after having been pregnant before. This strict medical definition includes couples for whom the pregnancy did not go to term. But most commonly secondary infertility refers to couples who have one biological child (or more), but are unable to conceive another.
Who Gets It
Experts estimate that three million people in America are experiencing secondary infertility. The emotional anxiety and stress a couple feels while dealing with secondary infertility may be magnified by the lack of sympathy they receive from others. Because secondary infertility is less recognized and understood than primary infertility, friends and acquaintances may assume that a couple with one child simply doesn’t want another.
Causes
Secondary infertility (just like primary infertility) has many causes. Among women, culprits can include ovulatory disorders, early menopause, pelvic adhesions, inflammation or infection, damage or blockage of the fallopian tubes, uterine fibroids or polyps, and endometriosis. In men, primary causes include low or no sperm count, impaired motility, ejaculatory problems, or poor quality sperm. The cause (or causes) of secondary infertility can be determined in about two-thirds of cases. In the remaining one-third of couples, the reason for the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term remains unknown. Lifestyle choices can contribute to secondary infertility: A woman’s fertility can be hampered by smoking, sexually transmitted infections, and excess body weight. A man’s ability to father a child can be compromised by drug or alcohol abuse, or sexually transmitted infections. Often the difference is simply the passage of time. As people age, their ability to conceive a child and have a successful pregnancy declines.
Treatment
As with primary infertility, secondary infertility can often be successfully diagnosed and treated. Simple tests can uncover problems with hormones, sperm counts, and tubal blockages. Experts agree that it’s crucial to get a diagnosis and, if needed, be treated as early as possible. Treatment varies depending on the underlying cause.
Pregnancy Prognosis
The good news is that pregnancy rates with secondary infertility are higher than with primary infertility. Couples who have already had a successful pregnancy are more likely to be able to achieve another. But since time and age are factors, couples experiencing secondary infertility shouldn’t delay before enlisting a specialist’s help to pinpoint the cause(es) and recommend proper treatment.
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