Healthy Habits: Secondary Infertility

In the U.S., more than 5 million people of childbearing age – or one in every ten couples – have infertility. While primary fertility typically receives attention, approximately more than 1 million couples in the U.S. have secondary infertility struggles.

I had a chance to interview Dr. Jane Frederick, an internationally noted fertility specialist located in Orange County, CA, to learn more.

Many couples are left in shock and disbelief when they find themselves unable to conceive a second child, especially if they became pregnant so easily or perhaps even accidentally the first time.  

According to statistics, more than 1 million couples are struggling with secondary infertility.  The more common explanations are couples trying to have a child with a new spouse or have developed a fertility problem since the last child was conceived.  Many women might have developed endometriosis, irregular ovulation or fallopian tube dysfunction.  A man might have a decline in their sperm causing concentration or motility issues.  Other factors for both men and women can involve age, prior health issues or even stress. There are fertility tests that can be performed on both the male and female to determine the causes of secondary infertility and the best course of treatment

With secondary infertility, one mistake by couples is they wait too long to seek help hoping that they will achieve a pregnancy on their own. The same rules should apply for all couples – if you are ages 35- 40 and trying for 6 months without success you should seek a fertility specialist for evaluation. If you are under 35 and trying for a year, then you should seek help and patients over 40 should get started on evaluation immediately.