What is secondary infertility?
Secondary infertility simply means problems getting pregnant or sustaining pregnancy in a woman who has had a child previously. In some ways, women describe it as painful as primary infertility, because: The causes of infertility are even more mysterious, since they have had a child before. They don?’ usually have the support and empathy of others dealing with primary infertility, or even friends and family, because they are presumed to not have a fertility problem. They don’t know how to explain to their child that she or he may not have a sibling. One of the most important factors to remember for those who can’t understand why they are unable to achieve a pregnancy as easily as their first child is that, by definition, they are older now, and fertility diminishes with age. Furthermore, they may have always been of lower fertility, but had a lucky break the first time they had a child. Either way, secondary infertility can be extremely painful, but for most, is finally resolved with t
Secondary infertility is a real problem that accounts for approximately 60% of the existing cases of infertility. Different from primary infertility, secondary infertility is defined as infertility affecting couples who have had at least one child previously. More than 3.3 million women in the U.S. alone suffer with secondary infertility, and the numbers are rising every year. Unfortunately, couples suffering with secondary infertility don’t often get the help and support they need from doctors, friends and family because they aren’t perceived as truly infertile since they’ve already had children. Causes of Secondary Infertility There are many reasons that may explain why a couple is suffering with secondary infertility. A woman’s fertility can change or be affected after having a child, even if she had no problem becoming pregnant the first or second time. Infection such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can cause damage to the fallopian tubes, making it difficult for fertilization
Secondary infertility occurs when a woman who has already carried a child to term is unable to do so a second time. Women who conceive fairly easily, but then repeatedly miscarry, also have secondary infertility. Secondary infertility should not be confused with primary infertility, which means that a woman is unable to become pregnant at all. Women who have been engaging in carefully timed, unprotected intercourse for a year without conception may have secondary infertility and should visit their obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) or reproductive endocrinologist immediately. Women in their mid-thirties are advised to seek medical attention after six months of trying. Approximately 20% of women experience secondary infertility at some point in their lifetime. While it is more common than primary infertility, it doesn’t get the same attention that primary infertility does. Many women who are “primaries,” or suffer from primary infertility, resent women who already have a child and are s
Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive or maintain a pregnancy after having successfully done so before. It is also thought to be more common than primary infertility. Some couples say secondary infertility is more emotionally painful than primary fertility because the causes can be even more mysterious. Furthermore, secondarily infertile couples may not receive as much support or empathy as primarily infertile couples because they have already had a child.
