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I met my husband Peter when I was 29 and he was 31. We got married two years after that and started trying for our first child two
years after that. Much to our shock, we didn't get pregnant after trying for six months. We decided to see the doctor and were referred to
a fertility clinic.
I remember the first time I walked into a packed fertility clinic, thinking that I would only be there for this one visit to determine what the problem was.
- Dalit Hume -
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Like most Canadians, Dalit and Peter thought that when they were ready to start a family, they would have no trouble becoming pregnant.
However, some individuals and couples face great difficulties when trying to become pregnant. Experiencing fertility problems can be an
emotionally exhausting and frustrating experience.
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What is infertility?
An individual or couple is considered to be experiencing infertility if they have regularly engaged in unprotected, well-timed intercourse
or insemination for one year and have not become pregnant.
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This doesn't mean they will never be able to conceive, but it does mean they may need to seek medical intervention in order to increase
the likelihood of becoming pregnant.
Information helps
If you're going through this situation, it can be really helpful to have accurate information about fertility, including
fertility awareness methods to ensure
that you're timing intercourse/insemination effectively.
It is important to:
- Find out about the factors that impact fertility and
when it may be time to consider fertility testing.
- Visit your health care practitioner to discuss testing for
various fertility problems and the options for next steps, such as whether
you want to undergo treatment.
- Find out where you can turn for support as you go through this difficult time.
Where can I learn about my fertility?
It can be difficult to find unbiased information about fertility and infertility. Some non-profit, Canadian organizations are providing
quality, objective online information about fertility.
Other sources of information include the Infertility Awareness
Association of Canada (IAAC).
Still, culturally sensitive fertility/infertility information in different languages is not widely available, making it more difficult
for some Canadian populations to get the information they need. Community organizations that serve diverse communities may be able to help
clients find this information, or interpret existing information in clients' primary languages.
Your doctor or health care practitioner should be a key source of information. She or he should be able to provide guidance in sorting
through the various options for medical intervention as well as offer referrals for a variety of services.
Taking care of your general well being as well as looking after your sexual and reproductive health throughout your life, is important
whether you're a man or
a woman, and can have a significantly positive impact on your fertility.
"Many people don't realize that age is one of the largest factors."
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Age is one of the biggest factors in infertility
While many factors that impact fertility may be out of your
control, there are some important things you can do
to improve your chances of being able to conceive.
Many people don't realize that age is one of the largest factors contributing to infertility. According to Dr. B. Norman Barwin C.M.,
fertility specialist, there is no doubt that with increasing age there is an increased risk of infertility and poor pregnancy outcome. "We need to
educate the public that the younger the patient the greater the chances of achieving a healthy pregnancy," he says.
More and more, women are delaying starting a family to complete their education and develop their careers. This is confirmed in the
findings of Health Canada's report Changing Fertility
Patterns: Trends and Implications, which shows that between 1976 and 2002, the average age of first-time mothers increased from
23.4 years to 27.7 years, and the proportion of first-time mothers 30 years and older increased from 9 percent to 34 percent. While many
people may believe that a healthy woman in her forties should be able to conceive without difficulty, it's simply not true. A woman's
fertility will begin to decrease slightly in her mid to late twenties, with a marked decrease from the age of 35. By the time a woman is
in her mid-thirties, her chances of getting pregnant are about half of what they were in her early to mid twenties.
What about men?
Men's age also affects their fertility, though not as markedly. For instance a study published in the medical journal Human
Reproduction1 reported that, while women's fertility begins to decline in the late 20's with a substantial decrease by the late 30s,
fertility for men is less affected by age, but does show a decline by the late thirties. The study also stated that available data indicates
lower sperm quality among men older than 50 years, as compared to men under 30 years of age.
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My husband Peter was always very supportive during the fertility diagnosis I received (I had premature ovarian failure or premature
menopause). He assured me that although he loves children, he married me and wanted to be my family even if we were to remain a family of two.
- Dalit Hume -
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Other major causes of infertility
There are several other causes of infertility in
both women and men.
In women, damaged or blocked fallopian tubes (which may be caused by a sexually transmitted infection like Chlamydia),
endometriosis, ovulation problems, and
polycystic ovary syndrome are some of the
most common factors affecting fertility.
For men, the most common causes of fertility problems are abnormal sperm production or function, impaired delivery of sperm, erectile
problems, general health and lifestyle issues and exposure to certain environmental elements or toxins.
Six myths about infertility
1. MYTH: Fertility problems stem only from women |
Fact: According to the BC Health Guide, infertility
is caused 50% of the time by problems with the woman's reproductive system and 35% of the time by a problem with the man's reproductive
system. 5% of the time, infertility is caused by a rare problem, such as the man or woman having been exposed
DES before they were born. Roughly 10% of
the time, the fertility problems remain unexplained, despite testing. |
2. MYTH: When most people decide to conceive, they will be able to do so easily. |
Fact: The Royal Commission for New Reproductive
Technologies (RCNRT) in 1990 found that, in Canada, the prevalence of infertile couples who were unable to conceive after two years (not
including those couples who were sterilized) was between 13.2% and 15.4%. In addition to those couples experiencing infertility problems,
healthy and fertile individuals and couples have to try for several months before conceiving. Approximately 60% of couples who have regular
intercourse will achieve a pregnancy within six months; 80% within nine months, and 85% within one year. |
3. MYTH: Infertile people are just trying too hard to get pregnant. If they would just relax and stop stressing out, it would happen
for them. |
Fact: Infertility is a medical condition resulting from problems with the reproductive system(s) of the individual or couple;
trying too hard or wanting too much to conceive does not cause infertility. Still, it is important to note that stress has been shown
to contribute to irregular
ovulation in some women and, for some men, prolonged emotional stress can interfere
with certain hormones needed to produce sperm.
For some people, reducing stress may have a positive impact on fertility. More generally, learning to better manage stress may
improve the overall quality of life for individuals or couples experiencing infertility, which may help them get through a very difficult time. |
4. MYTH: Once you have had a child, it is easy to conceive again. |
Fact: Fertility problems can emerge at any age, even if you have conceived in the past. Secondary infertility is when
an individual or couple has had one or more successful pregnancies, but have not been able to conceive again. Secondary infertility is
caused by the same list of potential factors as primary infertility. |
5. MYTH: If infertile individuals or couples adopt a child, they'll get pregnant. |
Fact: There is no evidence to suggest that infertile couples and individuals who adopt can conceive at any higher a rate than those
who do not.
This myth is particularly unfortunate because it implies that the reason that some infertile couples or individuals adopt a child is to
achieve a pregnancy, rather than for the joy of becoming adoptive parents. |
6. MYTH: Nothing can be done to improve a man's sperm quality. |
Fact: If a man takes care of his overall health, his fertility will generally be improved. Maintaining a healthy body weight
through proper nutrition and regular exercise, as well as avoiding smoking, abstaining from drugs, and limiting caffeine and alcohol
consumption are all lifestyle choices that will contribute to improving
a man's sperm quality. Also important is avoiding high temperatures, such as hot tubs, as sperm functions best at 32° C. |
Support is available
For Dalit and Peter, finding other people to talk to was very helpful:
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We would talk about strategies to answer dumb questions and insensitive comments we all heard like, "Why don't you just adopt and then
you'll get pregnant." Or "Just relax or take a vacation - that's how we got pregnant!" We laughed together and we cried together. Mostly
we were just relieved that the people in the group "got it".
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The experience of infertility is emotionally taxing for many individuals and couples. You can contact the
Infertility Awareness Association of Canada to
get a list of support groups across the country.
Connecting to an online support group may be helpful
for some people.
Whatever type of support individuals or couples choose, the most important thing is that they not go through this difficult time alone.
1 Dunson DB, Colombo B, Baird DD, "Changes with Age in the Level and Duration of Fertility in the Menstrual
Cycle," Human Reproduction, May 2002: 15(5): 1399-1403
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This article was prepared by the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health, 
