Contributed by: Healthians Team
Infertility is a deeply personal and distressing experience. You’re not alone if you’re having trouble becoming pregnant. According to doctors, one out of every eight couples has difficulty conceiving or maintaining pregnancy. There are numerous myths about conception and infertility that cause a lot of misunderstanding.
You’ve probably heard a number of them from well-meaning family and friends who were simply trying to cheer you up. It might also be difficult to distinguish between misconceptions and truths when there is so much information regarding infertility on the internet. And with such a massive information overload, it can be challenging to separate myths from facts. However, it’s critical to distinguish fact from fiction when trying to conceive, because believing in these myths may steer you in the wrong direction and prevent you from receiving the treatment you require.
In this blog, we debunk some myths regarding infertility to clear up the confusion surrounding it.
Myth #1: Infertility is rare. It’s easy for most women to get pregnant
Fact:
According to the World Health Organization, in India, between 3.9 and 16.8% of all couples will face primary fertility issues in their reproductive years. As per statistics from the Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction, infertility affects between 10% to 14% of the Indian population, with greater rates in metropolitan areas, where one out of every six couples is affected. In India, infertility affects almost 27.5 million couples who are actively trying to conceive.
Myth #2: Infertility is primarily a woman’s problem
Fact:
Infertility is not necessarily a female issue. Infertility can affect both men and women. It is often regarded as a woman’s condition only. In reality, roughly 40% of cases of infertility are caused by male-related issues. Another 40% of the cases are attributed to female-related issues. In about 20% of infertile couples, both partners have physical issues that are contributing to their infertility. Modern infertility treatment emphasizes the couple as a whole, recognizing that they are a unit.
Myth #3: Prolonged use of hormonal oral contraceptive pills leads to infertility
Fact:
NO. The pill has no effect on fertility when taken for a long time. It may take some time for a woman’s body’s natural hormones to take over after she’s stopped taking the pill. The majority of women who have been on OCPs conceive within a year of stopping them.
Myth #4: Those who have delivered once cannot have infertility syndrome
Fact:
About 20-30% of infertility cases are due to ‘secondary infertility,’ which affects the general infertile community. This syndrome affects couples that already have one child but they experience difficulty getting pregnant after the past pregnancy. In fact, secondary infertility is more common than not being able to conceive at all in the first place. The main factors to blame for secondary infertility are similar to those of primary infertility like blocked fallopian tubes, pelvic scarring, endometriosis (tissue growth outside the uterus), defective ovulation, fibroid uterus, poor sperm quantity or quality, and so forth.
Myth #5: Stress causes infertility. Just relax, and you’ll pregnant
Fact:
Fact: A notion frequently expressed by well-intentioned folks suggests infertility is due to being under stress or due to worrying too much. This is completely untrue for those coping with infertility. Stress is bad for your health in any situation, and studies show that reducing stress can shorten the time it takes to get pregnant and enhance the chances of getting pregnant. While it is true that extremely high levels of stress can interfere with ovulation, however, it cannot be directly connected to infertility in the great majority of couples. Infertility cannot be solved by positive thinking, having a vacation, or altering your perspective.
Closing thoughts
The course of treatment for infertility varies, based on the severity of the issue. Various therapies can dramatically increase your chances of conception. Fertility treatments often include certain lifestyle changes, hormonal therapy, and fertility drugs that help with hormone disorders and ovulation-stimulation to ovulate more, sometimes also combined with minor surgical procedures.
