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Secondary
Infertility: A confusing &
emotional ride affecting
millions of women
(Dubai, UAE) -
There are
several women who struggle
to conceive after being able
to have a child before. Such
a condition is termed as
secondary infertility.
Studies indicate that one in
eight couples suffer from
infertility, in fact,
according to a recent
research, 11 per cent of
couples who already have a
child go on to experience
secondary infertility.
That's approximately 4
million families or about
half of all infertility
cases.
“A lot of patients who come
to our clinic suffer from
secondary infertility. Just
like primary infertility,
secondary infertility can be
equally heart-breaking and
requires the same treatment
approach as a primary
infertility diagnosis, but
it is rarely met with the
same amount of empathy and
support. As such it is
important to raise
awareness, give clarity and
encourage people struggling
to get the support they
need,” said Dr
Laura
Melado, IVF Specialist, IVI Middle
East Fertility in Abu Dhabi.
Secondary infertility isn’t
a specific disease or
condition but is applied to
a couple dealing with an
inability to conceive, or
carry a pregnancy to term,
after the birth of one or
more children. There are
several factors that can
lead to secondary
infertility, the most
important being – advanced
age, overweight or
underweight problems, lack
of sun exposure,
consanguinity, hormonal
conditions, and damage from
previous pregnancies
as problems with previous
C-section scar
or even lifestyle changes.
“Infertility is often
considered as a taboo, and
for women suffering from
secondary infertility it is
no better. Most women who
suffer secondary infertility
undergo depression, which
many times, strains a
couple’s relationship. While
it’s not easy to come to
terms with this condition,
we recommend patients that
if they’ve experienced
several miscarriages,
irregular menstrual cycles,
or have had an unsuccessful
conception after trying for
six to twelve months, it is
important to see a
specialist,” added Dr Laura.
“There are so many emotions
that go through you when you
are struggling to conceive,
guilt, heartbreak each month
when you realize that yet
again you are not pregnant.
Furthermore,
it’s very difficult to
understand for a woman who
got pregnant easily before,
why she is not getting
pregnant again.
However,
we just want to let all the
women who suffer from this
condition know that they are
not alone, a lot of women go
through this” said Dr Laura.
Infertility can be an
isolating experience, and to
ensure women don’t struggle
in silence, IVI Middle East
Fertility Clinic aims to
create awareness about
secondary infertility
through patient meet
sessions conducted regularly
at IVI clinic, consultations
and advice.
“Couples who
face
secondary infertility can
also have a difficult time
finding the right support
from family and friends.
While lack of sensitivity is
common, there are a variety
of resources couples can and
should opt for to deal with
this condition. Consultation
with a fertility specialist
is the first step towards a
new beginning and we
encourage couples struggling
to conceive to seek some
help and support from
experts,” concluded
Dr Laura.
The Middle East IVI
Fertility Clinic has
clinics in Abu Dhabi, Dubai
and Muscat.
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