What is Infertility and Who is Affected by It?

According to the Center for Disease Control, 2021’s fertility statistics show that about one in five women were unable to get pregnant after trying to conceive naturally. Of those women, one in four had difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to full-term. The proper definition of infertility is the inability to conceive a biological child through un-assisted conception for at least one year. This means if you and your partner have gone without the use of contraceptives and still are having no luck, there may be something more serious that is worth looking deeper into.

Infertility comes in different forms. Oftentimes, it can occur from previous conditions, such as:

  • Thyroid Problems
  • Endometriosis
  • Polycystic Ovarian Disease
  • Cancer Diagnosis
  • Poor Nutrition
  • Drug and Alcohol Use

In most instances, it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact reason or explain why couples have such a hard time conceiving. In some cases, it can be the woman who’s having inconsistencies and in other instances, it can be the man. On some rare occasions, it could even be both. Conception is unexplainable and multifactorial. 

People also tend to forget that not only do women struggle with infertility, but men can also experience fertility difficulties when aspiring to conceive. Some of these infertility conditions are subject but not limited to ones such as:

  • Hormone Imbalances
  • Chromosome Defects
  • Infections
  • Certain Medications
  • Prior Procedures, etc. 

Conceiving a child is not always as easy as one may perceive. There are a lot of components that must align for successful implantation to occur. These types of medical diagnoses can challenge the succession of a pregnancy occurrence.

When Should I Seek Professional Help?

If you or your partner know that you have some sort of diagnosis that could result in an unsuccessful pregnancy, then you may want to address that early on with a specialist in family planning. If you are at the point at which you have tried to grow your family and have had no signs of pregnancy; or have experienced miscarriages times before, it may be time to seek professional assistance. This is one of those things where it just depends on the person and where they are mentally, physically, and financially, in their journey to parenthood. The process of trying to conceive is an emotional journey. The first thing that we tend to want to do, is figure it out on our own and believe that by continuing to try, it’ll happen naturally. Sometimes we just need a little help. 

Infertility treatments can also be costly and exhausting to the body. Some may not be ready for those added layers. It is important, first, to recognize that your journey is yours and that the train will go as fast or slow as you need or want it to. Allow yourself to be free of added pressures. 

Why it’s important to grieve your loss from infertility Before Seeking Other Options?

For some who struggle with infertility, they can seek professional help and that’s all they need for implantation to occur. For others, it may not be that quick or straightforward. In these cases, it’s important to take the proper time to grieve your loss from infertility before seeking other options. Infertility can put stress on the mind, finances, marriage, etc., especially as treatment progresses without succession. Feelings of discouragement or periods of depression can occur, not for all, but if in the case, it’s important to stray away from life-changing decisions right away. 

It’s normal for most couples to begin pursuing other options as forms of making their dreams of being parents a reality. Adoption is a common one. In most cases, it’s an option that many may not have formerly considered. However, it is still a commitment that should be made with a clear mind and full understanding that the child is its own being. 

How Do I Know I am Ready to Adopt after Infertility?

There are no right or wrong answers to this question. factually speaking, you must try for at least a year before you can even begin infertility treatments. Also, some adoption agencies require you to spend at least a year going through the emotions of infertility grief. In other words, they will require that you take time to work through the emotional trauma of knowing that you may not have a child biologically. 

Grief is a difficult, yet necessary first step in the adoption process. For those couples who have spent years, going through treatments, you will need and want that time to process the feelings you will experience. You may feel ready to move forward but pushing those feelings and emotions down will only bring on momentary peace. 

Let us not mistake the facts. The feelings you will experience during the process will be valid. And for some, the painful feeling may never go away completely. However, learning how to deal with those feelings healthily will make exploring other options, such as adoption, a better one for all parties involved. Neglecting to deal with these emotions is not only harmful to your mental health but possibly to the lives that you are eager to welcome. 

Emotionally Committing to Adoption

In an open adoption, you have three parties involved and you all will be connected in some capacity for the rest of your lives; you have the adoptive parent, the birth parent, and the adoptee. if adoption is the path that you choose to follow, it’s imperative that you understand the severity of it and know that the process of parenting in an open adoption is just as emotionally involved as any other life adjustment. Of all the involved parties, the adoptee deserves to have parents who can be the best versions of themselves.