One in seven couples in the UK have difficulty conceiving, NHS data reveals. Couples struggling with infertility are often met with unsolicited advice and non-scientific information about their fertility, with women bearing the brunt of such intrusive concern. Here are some common misconceptions about infertility that you should know.
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Fertility and youth
According to the NHS, 84% of couples will conceive naturally within the first year of having consistent unprotected sex. For couples who have been trying unsuccessfully for a baby for more than three years, the likelihood of getting pregnant naturally within the next year is 1 in 4, or less. Young or older couples can experience this difficulty and may require medical intervention.
Contraception impacts fertility
Another misconception out there is that the use of contraceptives can cause infertility. Hormonal contraceptives are designed to temporarily delay your fertility and prevent pregnancy. Chief Scientific Officer from Care Fertility, Dr Alison Campbell, told The Sun:
Some conceive immediately after they stop using contraception, and others may experience a temporary disruption to their menstrual cycle. Contraception is unlikely to affect your fertility, but it can hide a potential underlying problem, such as irregular periods.
Infertility is a women’s issue
In most societies, people often assume that the inability of a couple to conceive is as a result of infertility on the part of the woman. Women are often the target of pregnancy topics, although it takes two people to conceive. Each sex has their own set of symptoms that may suggest infertility, such as testicle pain or change in period flow.
The clock ticks for both sexes
Relatedly, women tend to be under more pressure to give birth early to avoid a decline in fertility. While it is true that fertility decreases with age in women, this issue affects men as well. An infertility specialist at Duke Fertility Center, Dr Thomas Price said:
Like female infertility, male infertility rates increase with age. After the age of 40, a man is likely to start experiencing decreases in semen volume and motility.
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