Of late there have been a number of cases highlighting the challenges faced by infertile people, who struggled to conceive.
Some of them are still struggling to conceive to this day. Worryingly, the women and men struggling with infertility are young and impressionable.
It is important to look at the signs that indicate that there might be a problem. Most couples should visit a doctor after a year of trying to conceive.
This is the main red flag. If a woman is over 35 or has an irregular menstrual cycle, and has been trying to conceive for six months without success, it’s best to see a doctor as soon as possible.
The same applies to your partner too because contrary to popular belief, infertility problems affect men as much as women.
Fertility tests do not remove a man’s manhood, they assist a couple to have a baby period.
Pointing fingers at each other does not help anything at all.
The problems that are most common in men include low sperm count, poor sperm movement, misshaped sperm and blocked sperm ducts.
The most common problems for women’s fertility include: ovaries that don’t release eggs regularly, blocked fallopian tubes, and problems in the cervix or uterus. All these problems can be medically treated and couples who seek help eventually get pregnant.
Ovulation problems can be treated easily sometimes. If your doctor finds you don’t ovulate normally, medication can help.
The most common choice is clomiphene. About half of women who take it will get pregnant, usually within three cycles.
Be aware that you are more likely to get pregnant with twins (or more!) because it makes the ovaries release more than one egg at a time.
Stress levels due to poverty, financial difficulties and cultural expectations also contribute to infertility. Gynaecologists always mention the impact of stress on a woman who is trying to conceive.
I know it sounds unreasonable to be expected to relax when you have been trying unsuccessfully to conceive despite all the medication and tests that you have gone through.
Traditional medicine and herbs that are given by people looking for money and who lack experience are also dangerous. Some of the traditionalists’ methods include inserting herbs in the vagina to “stimulate” the uterus! I know we have grandmothers who assist couples to conceive.
That is great but there are people who lie to desperate men and (especially) women and promise them results for a small sum of money, only for the couple to end up where they started. This is wrong but unfortunately true.
Infertile couples face a lack of knowledge about what to do and when to worry.
There are natural ways to boost your chances. A few lifestyle changes can make a difference.
If you smoke, quit. Smoking lowers fertility for men and women and dims pregnancy rates. In one study, men who stopped smoking saw their sperm counts increase by 800 percent.
Also, check your diet. Is it as healthy as possible? Ask your doctor about supplements. Some vitamins and minerals may improve the odds. Diet is critically important.
Read about these things from other printed literature as well. Knowledge is power and once you know about your condition, you can do something about it before it gets out of control.
Bleaching tablets and injections have been proven to be toxic to the body. This is why some of them are illegal. Those tablets do more harm than good because they require consistency to be able to function correctly.
Now when you are trying to have a baby those tablets and injections work against your system.
If only women could shun away from these tablets and appreciate themselves and not identify beauty with a certain complexion, cases of infertility would diminish.
Society will then focus on other possible causes of infertility, but that’s a topic for another day. Today I am saying if you are trying to conceive and trying to be lighter, ditch being lighter and focus on getting pregnant for a while.
Contraceptive methods that last for years have also been identified as one of the causes of infertility.
Some contraception messes with your hormones. Women are generally advised to stop their contraception six months prior to the intended conception period.
This is to clear the contraception out of the system and resume normalcy. It is also to prevent stress levels from going up and making the body a hostile environment for conception.
It’s a myth that relaxing or “giving it time” will overcome infertility. Fertility problems are medical in nature and can often be treated. Worldwide, more than 3 million babies have been born through in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Other treatments are victorious, too. At least half of the couples who seek help will get pregnant.
The process has, however, worked for some people and might be just what you need to be able to experience the miracle of motherhood if your finances allow it.
An Alternative to IVF is the Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a popular procedure for many fertility problems.
Doctors place the man’s sperm into the woman’s uterus, but not into the egg itself, while she ovulates.
You may also need to take drugs to prompt your body to ovulate. IUI is less expensive and simpler than IVF (in vitro fertilisation),
Moving on is important in some instances. If treatment becomes too heavy, more of a burden, physically, emotionally, or financially, it may be time to consider alternatives.
An infertility counsellor can help you and your partner explore the options. Many couples find satisfaction in living without children. It is a painful thought but sometimes the only option.
There are a wide range of solutions and treatments but they all require a quick enquiry into the possible causes of infertility by both the man and the woman in order to start the different available treatments for infertility.
It’s worth a try, the miracle of childbirth is a miracle worth experiencing.
