According
to the Mayo Clinic, 10-15% of couples experience infertility. Thankfully, after treatment, about 2/3 of
those couples are able to get pregnant. Infertility
is defined as not being able to get
pregnant despite having frequent, unprotected sex for at least a year for most
people and six months in certain circumstances.
The
most common cause of infertility in women is a failure to ovulate. A few causes of this are Polycystic Ovary
Syndrome, where there is a hormone imbalance, and Functional
Hypothalamic Amenorrhea, where excessive physical or emotional stress result in
the loss of a period. Besides these, it
can also come from obesity and/ or weight gain, an ovarian tumor or cyst,
weight loss including eating disorders and use of alcohol, tobacco and other
drugs (including caffeine).
In men, infertility is usually caused by a low sperm count or
abnormal sperm development. A specialist
would look at the number of sperm, their motility and shape to determine if
this is the cause. These abnormalities
can be caused by overheating of the testicles, unhealthy habits such as drugs
and alcohol or medical conditions such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, trauma or
treatments like chemotherapy or radiation.
There are numerous treatments available for people struggling
with infertility. Women can have
ovulation stimulated with fertility drugs, have surgery, or do intrauterine
insemination where healthy sperm are placed directly into the uterus. Infertility in men can be addressed through
medication or behavioral changes and surgery or hormones. Couples may also choose to have a procedure
such as in vitro fertilization which combines the sperm and egg in a lab and
then implants the embryos into the uterus.
This method is only effective in 40% of the cases of women younger than
35 years of age and declines as the woman becomes older.
Coping with infertility can be difficult, especially when the
cause is unknown. The Mayo Clinic
recommends a few steps you can take to prepare yourself for the journey
ahead. First be prepared by asking your
doctor a lot of questions. Next, set
limits on what is appropriate and financially acceptable to you and your
spouse. Infertility is deeply emotional
so knowing what you will and will not do before asked the question will save
you much time and uncertainty.
You will
also want to consider other options if you are not able to become pregnant,
such as adoption. Finally, look for
support from friends, family and support groups or counseling services. Because infertility is so personal, many are
unaware of how many struggle with it.
Linking yourself with others in your situation will be a great
blessing.
The church has many talks and personal stories linked to
their website regarding infertility. The
following link will take you to stories of couples dealing with infertility as
well as numerous talks by General Authorities and others on how to make it
through this time in your life.
Another website geared specifically towards LDS couples dealing with infertility is: www.ldsinfertility.org
There are many resources out there to help if you struggle
with infertility. Don’t hesitate to
reach out to these sources or to talk to your doctor if you think something may
be wrong.
Sources:
Infertility. (2013,
September 18). Retrieved from
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infertility.html
Infertility fact sheet. (2012, July
16). Retrieved from
http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/infertility.html
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2013, July 19). Infertility. Retrieved from
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/infertility/DS00310
Nazario, B. (2011,
July 28). Understanding
ovulation and fertility: Facts to help you get pregnant. Retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/baby/ss/slideshow-understanding-fertility-ovulation
Pictures:
http://www.atlantainfertility.com/
http://9images.blogspot.com/2013/03/sad-hug-couple-back-cute.html
Pictures:
http://www.atlantainfertility.com/
http://9images.blogspot.com/2013/03/sad-hug-couple-back-cute.html
No comments:
Post a Comment