Myths and facts about Infertility
There is no shortage of myths about getting pregnant and infertility. Chances are you have heard a lot of these myths and facts from your friends and relatives hoping to make you feel better. It is essential to separate these myths from the facts when you are planning to have a baby. Many myths surround humans and these myths can prevent us from getting the right treatment and care we need.
The top nine myths and their facts related to infertility are as follows:
Myth one: Infertility is predominantly a female issue.
Fact: Infertility is an issue that affects men and women equally. It is estimated that about 40 percent of the cases of infertility occur due to infertility problems in men while another 40 percent are due to infertility problems in women. In the rest 20 percent of infertile couples, often both partners may have physical problems leading to infertility issues. Modern infertility treatment focuses on couples for treatment.
Myth two: Women can get pregnant and have babies well into their 40’s and 50’s.
Fact: It has been observed that women who become pregnant after the age of 43 must have used another woman’s egg or an embryo to achieve conception. Women who conceive during advanced reproductive age are at considerable health risk for both themselves and the baby. Women must consult about her situation to a gynecologist or reproductive specialist. It is often seen that fertility starts to decline at the age of 27 in women. This decline speeds up at the age of 35 and it declines abruptly at the age of 40.
Myth three: You just need to relax. Infertility is a psychological problem.
Fact: The idea infertility is caused due to psychological problems is not entirely true and can even be detrimental as it might lead to delay in getting an expert opinion. Though high levels of stress can contribute to infertility in some couples, it cannot be directly linked as the cause of infertility.
Myth four: The chances of becoming pregnant increase after adoption.
Fact: The story of becoming pregnant right after adopting someone is purely a misconception that every couple who had difficulty in becoming pregnant has heard. Most people believe this misleading fact that adoption relieves the stress and anxiety which were the major causes of infertility. Though adoption is a good option for infertile couples to start a family, they should not adopt someone thinking that they will become pregnant in the future.
Myth five: Services like in-vitro fertilization treatment are too expensive for many couples to consider.
FACT: Though in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment is expensive, there are several acceptable ways through which couples can easily manage the cost of the treatment. It is also seen that IVF improves the chances of infertile couples having a baby. But in most cases, couples don’t even need the most expensive and high-tech interventions to achieve pregnancy.
Myth six: Youngsters don’t need to worry about infertility.
Fact: It is true that the process of aging increases the chances of infertility but around 7 percent of couples in their early 20s are facing infertility issues. It is often challenging and exhausting to deal with infertility issues as it may bring new anxiety-producing experiences. In this hard time, it becomes necessary to find the right physician, counselor, and nurse to guide you through the unusual territory. Talking to your gynecologist will help you to discover a path that you may use in your very own quest for a child.
Myth seven: The problem of infertility can always be resolved by treatment.
Fact: The truth is that every fertility patient may not get a baby who is biologically associated with them in the end. It has been observed that around two-thirds of fertility, patients can have a baby after treatment.
Myth eight: Age does not affect fertility in men.
Fact: It is not true that age doesn’t affect men’s fertility. Like females, men’s infertility is also related to age. It is observed that after the age of 40, a man is likely to start experiencing a decrease in semen volume and motility.
Myth nine: You don’t have to worry about infertility if you already have a child.
Fact: Many people think that just because you have one child you can certainly have another without any difficulty. But even couples with children can face difficulty in getting pregnant later in life due to secondary infertility.
Dr. Gauri Agarwal is one of the best-known Infertility and IVF Specialists in India with over 15 years of experience in the field of gynecology and infertility. She is also the Founder-Director of Seeds of Innocence, a reputed and recognized chain of IVF Centers, and Gene strings Diagnostic Centre.
