Many couples face infertility and if you’re also one of them, let us tell you that – you’re not alone. Infertility is a common phenomenon, and nearly 1 in 6 couples in India face trouble conceiving. Infertility can be saddening and is often accompanied by unsolicited advice, which is most of the time not helpful and sometimes simply wrong.
So, if you’re trying to have a baby, you must have heard about several myths about infertility. For fact check, Banker IVF attempts to debunk some myths around infertility in this post!
Myths around Infertility
- Generally, infertility is a female issue
- Stress causes infertility
- Not men, age only affects women’s fertility
- Before you see a doctor, try conceiving on your own for a complete one year
- Birth control pills lead to infertility
- A man who ejaculates isn’t infertile
- There’s no cure for infertility
Myth 1: Generally, infertility is a female issue
National Institute of Health (NIH) states that male reproductive issues account for one-third of infertility cases, female reproductive issues account for one-third, and unknown factors account for the rest of one-third. Periodically everything is totally okay with both partners, but the cause of infertility remains unknown, which refers to unexplained infertility.
Usually, a woman gets blamed if a couple fails to carry a pregnancy, even though it takes both partners to make a baby. In fact, many women indict themselves of their incapability to conceive because they assume that infertility relates straight to the womb. However, there’s no gender bias when it comes to infertility, as it affects both men and women equally.
Myth 2: Stress causes infertility
Life is full of stress in today’s times. Everyday causes of stress in an individual’s life span from work-related matters to close relationships. While it is common for infertility to lead to stress, it is unlikely that stress is the cause of infertility.
Even as chronic stress is seen to take an active role in infertility, it is not the root cause. Almost every couple face stress at some point in their lives. Couples under a lot of stress may find it difficult to conceive. In reality, infertility is a medical condition, not a psychological one.
Myth 3: Not men, age only affects women’s fertility
Indeed, women’s fertility reduces significantly with age. However, it’s not just women who experience changes in their fertility as they grow old. Just like infertility in females, infertility in males also reduces with age. Generally, women notice a greater reduction in their fertility between the age of 32 and 37.
Men mostly experience a decline in their semen volume and motility after the age of 40. Even though men have the advantage of producing new sperm on a regular basis, sperm quality declines with age. With increasing age, there is also more DNA fragmentation in sperm.
Myth 4: Before you see a doctor, try conceiving on your own for a complete one year
Even after having unprotected sexual intercourse without conception for a year, a couple can be considered infertile. But that does not mean every couple should wait for at least a year before visiting a fertility specialist. Women over the age of 35 and women with a history of fibroids, pelvic adhesive disease, irregular periods, endometriosis, ectopic pregnancy or recurrent pregnancy losses should never wait for an entire year.
As a matter of fact, women who suffer from any of the stated conditions must seek medical support as and when they decide to start a family. And this stands true also for men who have undergone surgery or had an infection or trauma to genital organs. If you and your partner had physical problems, get your evaluation and workup done because it may affect fertility.
Myth 5: Birth control pills lead to infertility
Some women are concerned that taking hormonal birth control for an extended period will result in long-term infertility. Because most forms of birth control involve hormone regulation and the popular belief holds that the effects can alter your reproductive system. Most women can ovulate within a few weeks of discontinuing birth control.
The length of time it takes for your cycle to return to normal depends on several factors, but 80 per cent of women that want to get pregnant less than a year after discontinuing birth control can do so. Only a doctor can tell you if your inability to conceive is related to your previous use of birth control.
Myth 6: A man who ejaculates isn’t infertile
To be entirely truthful, male infertility is not so simple and easily identifiable. Most men with infertility do not have any noticeable sign or symptom that indicates a problem. The popular reason people think behind male infertility is low sperm count, but the truth is sperm movement and sperm shape do play a vital role.
Men can have sperm problems that make it difficult to get pregnant, and libido, virility, and erectile function do not always indicate fertility. Men who work physically demanding jobs or take two or more medications may have lower sperm counts, and high blood pressure can impact the shape of sperm.
Myth 7: There’s no cure for infertility
Diagnosing infertility has now become easier owing to improved medical procedures. Once the cause of fertility issues is known, a plan can be prepared for the patient tailored to their specific situation, thus pushing them closer to conceiving a child.
Approximately 90% of infertility cases are treatable with medical therapies such as drug therapy, surgical repair of reproductive organs, and assisted reproductive techniques such as in-vitro fertilization. After a year of infertility, those who do not seek professional help have a “spontaneous cure rate” of about 5%.
Banker IVF can be your guardian in your journey from infertility to fertility. If you’ve trouble conceiving, visit our fertility clinic and get the accurate diagnosis and best treatment under the guidance of Dr Manish Banker and his team of experts.
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