- Infertility and men are not related:
This is one of the most common myths women have when they visit a fertility clinic, in fact, it surprises most people to learn that infertility is caused by females in one-third cases as well as males in one-third cases. The remainder are caused by a mixture of male and female issues.
Given this, it’s essential that both men and women learn the fertility facts and consider being evaluated during fertility treatments.
- “I am below 35 years of age, so I have no fertility problem”
Infertility can be caused by a wide variety of factors that can affect women and men in their early reproductive years.
Conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis are common in young women and often lead to issues with fertility. Other medical conditions such as autoimmune diseases or cancer may also affect fertility.
- “I don’t have to worry about my eggs until I’m 40 years old”
At birth, a woman has 7 million eggs, which slims town to 400,000 at the onset of puberty. As a woman ages, the ovarian reserve declines.
A woman’s egg supply takes a rapid decline in the late 20s, again in 30s and most notably in the 40s. So, even women between 20-30 years of age need to worry about the quantity and quality of their eggs.
- I do exercise regularly , hence my age won’t affect fertility:
A healthy body and mind can undoubtedly boost fertility but it cannot reverse the age of ovaries and semen. For both- men and women, age is a crucial component for fertility.
- ‘It’s okay to drink caffeine and smoke right up till pregnancy”
Women should give up their vices concerning this particular myth. The toxins in cigarettes can affect the fluid that eggs are in. Women who smoke in their 20s have lower egg supply om their 30s and 40s as compared to non-smokers.
Myths couples have before coming to an infertility expert .
Pregnancy is result of a complex combination of factors and events. Many people will have stories to tell you and a lot of them are wrong! Here are some fertility myths you may want to know the truth about.
- Myth: Fertility issues are more likely to affect women than men.
Truth: Conception difficulties just as likely to affect men as they are women. Male fertility problem are primary diagnosis in approximately 40% of cases and contributes to a further 15-25% of cases of secondary infertility.
- Myth: There’s time to keep trying until the age of 40.
Truth: Age affects the success rates of fertility treatments as well as your natural ability to get pregnant. Fertility declines steeply after the age 35. By the age of 40 a healthy woman has about a 5% chance of getting pregnant in a given month. Do not delay your treatment decisions to give yourself the best chance.
- Myth: Women going through fertility treatments have a twin or triplet birth.
Truth: The majority of women who succeed with fertility treatments will have a single child. The chance of a multiple pregnancy with fertility treatments is higher than average, but can be minimised. Currently on average, 15% of pregnancies resulting from IVF and ICSI are twins and 2% is triplets. This is primarily due to the practice of transferring several embryos into the uterus to increase chances for success. Discuss with your doctor any concerns you might have about multiple birth, and if so, how to minimise the chance of multiple pregnancy when you make treatment choices.
- Myth: Our first baby was easily conceived, so we’re not expecting any problems with the second.
Truth: There is cause for optimism. But things may also have changed since then. Some couples are diagnosed with secondary fertility problems, which can occur despite a successful pregnancy.
- Myth: Fertility treatments go against nature.
Truth: Being able to conceive a child is the most natural thing for humans. Fertility treatments attempt to remove or bypass barriers causing difficulties hoping that nature will do the rest.
- Myth: Couples often get pregnant once they adopt a child.
Truth: There is no proof that pregnancy and adoption are linked in any way. Some stories travel better then others and you probably don’t hear as often about those couples who adopt and don’t get pregnant.
