Not being able to have children has gained a negative stigma in the past. So much that couples were afraid to speak about it because they felt ashamed. Centuries ago the woman was blamed for the inability to have children and it was not understood that infertility could come from both the male and the female.

It’s important to note, that infertility is not as uncommon as you would think therefore you should be ashamed of it. Instead you should talk to someone about it. About 15% to 20% of couples will experience infertility. Amongst these couples approximately 40% of the cases are due to female infertility with 40% of the cases being due to male infertility. In 10% of the cases the problem was associated with both the male and female and the remaining 10% is unknown.

There are many factors that have to be taken into account when it comes to the cause of infertility. Take a look at your lifestyle first. A few changes could help. Are you taking care of yourself in terms of healthy eating habits and general fitness? A nutritional and healthy lifestyle can contribute largely to your fertility. Do you smoke or drink alcohol? If you do, you could be drastically lowering your chances of being able to conceive. For women who smokes 20 cigarettes a day her natural fertility lowers by over 20%. For men smoking could lead to low sperm counts as well as low sperm motility. Drinking alcohol also reduces fertility. Alcohol is toxic to sperm because it reduces sperm levels and can disrupt hormone balances. If you’ve implemented these lifestyle changes and after 12 months of trying to conceive nothing happens, then you should consult a fertility doctor.

A fertility doctor will run a number of tests on both the male and the female to determine where the problem lies. Once it is determined what the problem is, the fertility doctor can recommend a course of treatment. There are a number of options that are available to the relevant candidates which includes IVF, Ovulation Induction, ICSI, IUI, Blastocyst Culture, and In Vitro Maturation, amongst others.

Whatever your story may be or whatever the problem you may be experiencing, it is always worth speaking to someone. It is the only way that you can overcome the problem. Being ashamed won’t help you. It’s important to be brave and take the step towards a happy future.