How to overcome secondary infertility?

Secondary infertility affects around 11% of all couples in the US alone, according to the CDC, and if this includes you, there are ways to overcome secondary infertility.

To overcome secondary infertility, you have to first understand what's causing it?

The causes of secondary infertility are mostly the same as those for primary infertility. These include:

Female fertility problems

1. Ovulation problems
2. Endometriosis
3. Certain medications, for example, chemotherapy drugs
4. Autoimmune or thyroid disorders
5. Hormonal imbalance
6. Structural problems, such as fallopian tube blockage
7. Age – fertility starts to decline around the age of 35
8. Lifestyle factors – obesity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption.

Besides the above, there also may be a specific reason why you are struggling to conceive after a previous pregnancy, which could be:

1. Advanced age – even a couple of years between pregnancies can greatly affect your fertility
2. Previous Caesarean section(s) – as this can leave scarring or uterine adhesions which may create fertility problems
3. Previously retained placenta – this can also leave scarring
4. Declining health – worsening of previous reproductive disorder

Male factor infertility

1. Decrease in sperm count, quality, or motility
2. Testicular damage, may be due to infection, cancer or surgery
3. Ejaculation problems
4. Hormonal imbalances
5. Certain medications
6. Lifestyle factors – Excessive heat of testicles, drug or alcohol abuse, smoking, etc.

The first line of treatment for secondary infertility is usually lifestyle modifications and medications to induce ovulation or IUI.

Ofcourse, if your doctor recommends IVF or third-party reproduction, you might have to consider that.

Secondary infertility honestly seems especially painful because people assume having one child means getting pregnant again should be easy. A lot of couples say they feel guilty even talking about it because others respond with things like “at least you already have one child,” which can make the whole experience feel very isolating.

From what I’ve read, overcoming it usually starts with figuring out why it’s happening because the causes can change over time. Age, egg quality, sperm changes, weight fluctuations, stress, endometriosis, scar tissue after childbirth, hormone issues, all of those can suddenly become factors even if the first pregnancy happened naturally.

One thing that surprised me is how many people delay getting checked because they assume it will “just happen again eventually.” Then months or years pass before they actually see a fertility specialist.

A lot of couples also talk about the emotional conflict of trying to stay grateful for the child they already have while still grieving the difficulty of expanding their family. That seems to be one of the hardest parts psychologically.