Secondary Infertility
At Fertility Specialists of Houston we believe it is essential for our patients to understand what is happening to them every step of the way. We want you to maintain a feeling of control about the process. After your initial consultation our physician will be able to determine a preliminary diagnosis and make testing recommendations.
Once the initial work-up is complete and test results are reviewed, a diagnosis can be pinpointed and a treatment plan begun. We will educate you thoroughly about your particular diagnosis, but we have provided an overview below. Please contact us if you have any questions about this information or your own specific situation.
Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after successfully and naturally conceiving one or more children. Most people believe that once you've had one child, you've proven yourself to be fertile and therefore will have no problems conceiving again in the future. Unfortunately, this is not true. Secondary infertility is a very common problem.
Due to the misconception that once you're fertile, you'll always be fertile, couples that may be affected by secondary infertility are less likely to seek infertility treatment.
Many of the reasons for secondary infertility tend to be the same as for primary infertility. Since the last pregnancy, a woman or her partner may have had an infection, gained some weight, altered their eating habits or other unexplained reasons. While these inconsistencies may seem small, they may have large repercussions on many couple's reproductive health. Additionally, egg and sperm quality may have begun decreasing due to age or other factors.
Couples are recommended to see a doctor if they are under the age of 35 and have had regular, unprotected sex for a year without conceiving. If you are over the age of 35, an appointment with your doctor is recommended if you have not been able to conceive after six months of regular, unprotected sex.
* The site is not a replacement for professional medical opinion, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your medical doctor or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment. Do not delay seeking or disregard medical advice based on information written on this site. No health information on this website should be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor.
