Pregnancy is result of a complex combination of factors and events. Many people will have stories to tell you and a lot of them are wrong! Here are some fertility myths you may want to know the truth about.
- Myth: Fertility issues are more likely to affect women than men.
Truth: Conception difficulties just as likely to affect men as they are women. Male fertility problem are primary diagnosis in approximately 40% of cases and contributes to a further 15 – 25% of cases of secondary infertility.
- Myth: There’s time to keep trying until the age of 40.
Truth: Age affects the success rates of fertility treatments as well as your natural ability to get pregnant. Fertility declines steeply after the age 35. By the age of 40 a healthy woman has about a 5% chance of getting pregnant in a given month. Do not delay your treatment decisions to give yourself the best chance.
- Myth: Women going through fertility treatments have a twin or triplet birth.
Truth: The majority of women who succeed with fertility treatments will have a single child. The chance of a multiple pregnancy with fertility treatments is higher than average, but can be minimised. Currently on average, 15% of pregnancies resulting from IVF and ICSI are twins and 2% is triplets. This is primarily due to the practice of transferring several embryos into the uterus to increase chances for success. Discuss with your doctor any concerns you might have about multiple birth, and if so, how to minimise the chance of multiple pregnancy when you make treatment choices.
- Myth: Our first baby was easily conceived, so we’re not expecting any problems with the second.
Truth: There is cause for optimism. But things may also have changed since then. Some couples are diagnosed with secondary fertility problems, which can occur despite a successful pregnancy.
- Myth: Fertility treatments go against nature.
Truth: Being able to conceive a child is the most natural thing for humans. Fertility treatments attempt to remove or bypass barriers causing difficulties hoping that nature will do the rest.
- Myth: Couples often get pregnant once they adopt a child.
Truth: There is no proof that pregnancy and adoption are linked in any way. Some stories travel better then others and you probably don’t hear as often about those couples who adopt and don’t get pregnant.
