What is secondary infertility and what is its treatment?

What is secondary infertility?

It is the inability to conceive after having one or two children in the past without the need for any fertility treatments. A woman's and a man's fertility may change even after having one or two children. Problems may occur in one of the following areas related to reproduction:

• Ovulation.
• Fertilization.
• The journey of the fertilized egg towards the uterus.
• Implantation of the egg in the uterus.
• Diseases and health conditions may be a hidden cause of what is known as unexplained infertility.

Causes

One-third of the causes of secondary infertility are related to the woman. In contrast, another third is related to the man, and the last third is related to both the woman and the man, or for unknown reasons.

Causes of secondary infertility in women

• Age: or trying to get pregnant after the age of thirty-five, as a woman’s fertility declines at the age of thirty.
• Endometriosis: This is when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in parts of the body outside the uterus, leading to difficulty conceiving and continuing the pregnancy.
• Blocked fallopian tubes: These are the tubes that carry the egg from the ovaries to the uterus, which may become blocked due to pelvic infections, caused by some sexually transmitted diseases.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome: A hormonal disorder that causes excessive secretion of the male hormone. Polycystic ovary syndrome affects the regularity of the menstrual cycle, ovulation, and fertility.
• Excessive weight gain: Excess weight causes ovarian problems in some women, which leads to delayed pregnancy.

Causes of secondary infertility in men

• Age: or trying to have children when the man is over forty years old, as sperm quality declines after forty.
• Declining levels of testosterone: This hormone, known as the male hormone, is an essential factor in sperm production. This hormone declines in men with age or with injury to the testicle area.
• Prostate enlargement: Prostate enlargement causes a decrease in the number of sperm, and affects ejaculation.
• Prostatectomy: A man may have his prostate removed due to cancer or another medical condition, which affects sperm motility.
• Obesity: The rate of male infertility increases by about 10% with every ten kilograms of excess weight.

Treatment options

Treatments available for women

• Fertility-stimulating drugs: The most famous of these is Clomid, which stimulates the hormones that produce eggs in women who suffer from ovulation problems.
• Surgery: to remove any unwanted masses such as polyps or uterine fibroids that affect fertility.
• In vitro fertilization: This is a fertility treatment procedure, in which eggs are removed from the uterus and fertilized in the laboratory with sperm, producing fertilized embryos that are transferred to the uterus.

Treatments available for men

• Artificial insemination: where sperm is implanted directly into the uterus. This treatment is suitable for men who have poor sperm quality or an insufficient sperm count for natural fertilization to occur.
• Surgery: This is useful in treating varicocele, a condition that affects the quality and number of sperm.
• Supplements: such as anti-aging and antioxidant supplements that enhance male fertility and sperm quality.
• Lifestyle modification: Especially if the cause of infertility is obesity, diet and exercise to lose excess weight are useful for treating infertility.

Summary,

Secondary infertility or infertility after the first child is a term given to cases of infertility after one or more cases of childbirth. Doctors diagnose this condition after conducting many tests for the man and the woman. There are many reasons for this condition, some of which are related to the husband, some to the wife, some are due to both of them, and some are unknown. There are several treatments available depending on the cause. Reproductive problems negatively affect marriage and are an emotional burden on both men and women, so it is important to get support from specialists and follow the advice of experts to deal with this problem positively.