IVF Spring > Fertility Conditions > Secondary Infertility
Secondary Infertility
Secondary infertility is defined as the inability to carry a baby to full term when the woman has already given birth to a baby without using any artificial technology. Secondary infertility treatments have a baggage of its own stigma and support needs.
Couples with secondary infertility do receive less social and emotional support as compared to couples who are going through primary fertility. But, secondary infertility does come with its own struggles and the empathy towards this couple should be given importance too.
Causes of secondary infertility
- Maternal age:
Maternal age is one of the leading causes of secondary infertility. All the women are born with all the eggs that they will ever need throughout their life. But, as women age, both the quality and quantity of her eggs go down. She was younger when she had her first child but now as she is older than her previous pregnancy, her egg quality might have gone down.
- Internal complications:
Complication during the previous pregnancy might affect the normal functions of the uterus including egg production and the ability of an embryo to implant and grow. Pelvic adhesions, intrauterine adhesions etc. can also develop inside the uterus due to a previous pregnancy. Recurrent miscarriages (two or more) can also occur even after successful pregnancy before. More than often, the cause of the recurrent miscarriages is unknown. In some women, irregular or absent menstrual cycles can reveal infertility problems.
- Male factor infertility:
Just like women’s egg quality decreases with age, so does men’s sperm quality. Male aging can have a negative effect on the sperm health affecting the quality and quantity. Male infertility can also result through some other factors apart from age such as smoking, drinking, weight gain and other lifestyle factors.
- Weight gain:
Overweight men and women have very low chances of conception as compared to those who maintain a healthy weight. Sometimes, weight can be the only reason for certain infertility factors.
When should you see a doctor?
As time passes, your chances of getting pregnant can go down significantly. It is recommended that you see a doctor after going through a year of unprotected sex without resulting in pregnancy, in case you are under 35 and after 6 months of unprotected sex without resulting in pregnancy if you are more than 35 years of age. These are just guidelines on when you should contact a doctor, if you are more concerned than you can talk to your doctor before. The earlier you get the diagnosis, the earlier you can start with the treatment. However, if it is too early, you doctor might recommend you to try a little longer before starting with your secondary infertility support.
Diagnostic Tests Recommended for Secondary Infertility Treatments
At your first visit to get treatment for secondary infertility, a normal work-up for standard infertility is done at the start of diagnosis.
During the diagnosis, both of you can be asked some questions revolving your current health and medical history so as to assess what has changed from the previous pregnancy that might have resulted in secondary infertility. Some blood tests and ultrasounds might be done to determine if you are ovulating and check the egg supply too. An X-ray might be done to look for blocked Fallopian tubes. Semen analysis can also be done to measure sperm count and quality.
Treatment for Secondary Infertility
As it goes with other infertility options, a lot of patients who are going through secondary infertility might go through some of the basic treatment options. A counselling for secondary infertility will help the couple in going through their options and consider the best one. Depending upon their condition, couple can opt for in vitro fertilisation or donor egg or donor sperm treatment to overcome their secondary infertility treatment.
Infertility treatment whether it is primary infertility treatment or secondary infertility treatment requires a lot of patience. Secondary Infertility is quite common and can cause the same amount of dejection as primary infertility as opposed to some might think. We, at IVF Spring, offer one of the best secondary infertility consultants in Mumbai. We take into the account the seriousness of your situation and devise a custom made plan that suits your needs. Our Secondary Infertility treatment in Mumbai can provide you trustworthy and hassle free services.