Common Myths About Infertility

‘Infertility’ is a very stressful experience. The inability to conceive naturally and failed pregnancy tests, month after months, and year after years, is heartbreaking for a couple attempting to have a child.

There are so many different factors, diagnosed as well as unexplained, which can lead to infertility among couples, but people around us have their misconceptions regarding the reasons for infertility. Sometimes, the lack of correct information from the right source about the basic facts of infertility often leads to panic and confusion. It is tough to have faith in the process of treatment and alternative medical solutions when you are struggling with infertility.

At First Step IVF, we want to help you, make informed decisions about alternative solutions for countering infertility. Here are some common myths; we would like to break myths about the issue.

Myth #1: Women Who Take Birth Control Pills Become Infertile
The Facts: Birth Control Pills cannot cause long-term infertility. A woman’s reproductive system does take some time to return to its normalcy after withdrawing birth control pills, but there is no established evidence that birth control pills lead straight to infertility. The delay in pregnancy after the discontinuation of the birth control pill is caused by the pill’s impact on the production of cervical fluid, an essential component of conception. However, women do get pregnant within 6 months to 1 year after withdrawal and some even get pregnant within the first month. Ask your gynecologist for prescribing the best birth control method.

Myth #2: Women Having Irregular Menstrual Cycle or PCOS are Infertile
The Facts: Having an irregular period means- woman’s ovulation time is fluctuating and there can be a variety of reasons like stress or some health issue, infection, or lack of nutrients in the body causing this fluctuation and irregularity. It is true that conception will be more difficult if ovulation time remains unpredictable month after months, but irregular periods does not mean impaired fertility and can be corrected by treating the underlying issue causing it. It does have a solution. Another common disorder among women is PCOS, in which ovarian cysts interfere with the natural fertilization of the ovum, but there are many lines of treatments in allopathy to treat this disorder and help women struggling with PCOS to conceive naturally.

Myth #3: Age Factor only affects Woman’s Fertility, Not Man’s Fertility!
The Facts: It is true that a woman’s biological clock starts ticking away after 35 years of age as the egg quality declines and she is soon heading towards menopause, but men’s biological clock starts ringing warning signs too when they are willing to become a father. Nowadays, over 30 – 35 years of age, due to work stress, hay-wire lifestyle, age-related health issues like blood pressure, or due to addictions like smoking and drinking, sperm count starts declining, sperm motility reduces, and sperm quality is impaired. The majority of men also face unexplained sub-fertility after 35 years of age and find it difficult to impregnate their partner.

Myth #4: Your Health Does Not Impact Fertility
The Facts: All our body parts and vital organs are dependent on one another to function properly and efficiently for us. Physical or psychological health impacts the reproductive system too. Take stress for example- it triggers many health issues in our physical system, though it is psychological. It is a major factor among couples for unexplained infertility due to a hectic lifestyle and lack of self-care. Another example- People with disorders like anemia; suffer due to a lack of nutrients in the overall physical body which includes even your reproductive system. Lack of nutrients and reduced blood supply to your reproductive system will impair its natural function and decline the quality and quantity of ovum/sperm.

Myth #5: Infertility Treatments Are Expensive
The Facts: The diagnosis and treatments for infertility are within the grasp of the common man and advanced healthcare has made it possible to treat underlying reasons for infertility effectively and economically. Even assisted-reproductive techniques such as IVF/ICSI at First Step IVF are reasonably well-planned for couples struggling with female infertility, male infertility, recurrent miscarriages, or unexplained infertility. Two cycles of IVF are available at one cost and saves a lot of time, money, and energy, as the second cycle does not require start to end procedure. IVF is usually the couple’s best chance for pregnancy if infertility treatments are not yielding any positive results.

Contact First Step IVF for more clarity if you have been facing infertility issues for a long time. We will do our best to assist and guide you.