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Secondary Infertility

Could Secondary Infertility Happen to You?

By Pat Dimmig

Secondary infertility, the inability to conceive and deliver a child after already having delivered one or more children, is more common than you may think. Some doctors believe it is difficult to obtain accurate statistics on just how common it is, because many couples are able to treat themselves effectively or simply do not seek treatment from a doctor. Women often have the misconception that if they delivered a healthy child before, they simply cannot fall into the category of the infertile.

Reasons for secondary infertility are often the same as those found in primary infertility. Dr. Anthony Luciano, the director of the Center for Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology at New Britain General Hospital in Connecticut, cites the most common causes as semen abnormalities (low count, deformities, poor mobility); ovulatory problems; endometriosis and pelvic adhesions; and uterine abnormalities (fibroids, polyps).

It also can be a matter of timing. Some couples can successfully conceive through a few changes in lifestyle and careful planning. The key is education. To start, Dr. Luciano suggests determining when ovulation occurs by using urine ovulation predictor kits that can be bought over the counter. These kits predict ovulation within 24 to 48 hours. "You must have intercourse the day of and after a positive result," Dr. Luciano says. "It is important that the sperm is present in the reproductive organs when the egg is released, hence intercourse [should occur] within 12 to 36 hours prior to ovulation. It is better to have intercourse too early than too late!"

This has been the plan thus far for Ninotchka Beavers from Dallas, Texas. She and her husband have been trying to conceive their second child for nearly six months. Their first daughter was conceived during the first month of trying and the pregnancy advanced without complications. Beavers thought it would be just as easy when they decided to try for No. 2.

Want to see more?

• The Infertility Marketplace: How Success Rates Are Advertised
• The Facts to Relax: Coping with the Stress of Infertility
• Dollars and Sense: Affording Infertility Treatment
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!

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