{"id":91016,"date":"2020-04-03T14:59:40","date_gmt":"2020-04-03T12:59:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/?p=91016"},"modified":"2022-11-03T17:27:40","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T15:27:40","slug":"infertility-why-dont-people-talk-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/infertility-why-dont-people-talk-about-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Infertility: Why don\u2019t more people talk about it?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Infertility <\/strong>sometimes seems like one of the last social taboos, especially in an era when every passing year sees a previously unthinkable opening up of \u2018private\u2019 topics for discussion. Conversations about money and financial earnings, unheard of in previous generations, become easy topics for social chit-chat. On a more personal level, sexuality and gender identity are no longer no-go areas of conversation and problems with mental health are acknowledged as a routine hazard of daily life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why is infertility different?<\/strong> On one hand, <strong>male infertility<\/strong> has skyrocketed in recent years and yet we keep quiet about it. On the other, social pressures that lead women to <strong>delay motherhood<\/strong> for a decade or more compared with their grandmothers goes almost unremarked upon. Likewise, the term <strong>\u2018secondary<\/strong> <strong>infertility\u2019<\/strong> is not part of our everyday vocabulary and many people barely talk about it.<\/p>\n<p>We share a common assumption that, come the right time and if we want to, we\u2019ll go ahead and have kids. When it doesn\u2019t happen, or when it\u2019s confirmed that you, your partner or both of you have <strong>a fertility problem<\/strong>, that assumption takes a knock. Being diagnosed with <strong>infertility <\/strong>might come as a potential shock to the system for which we might feel quite unprepared. But the truth is that infertility is a common problem nowadays, and it affects many couples. Let\u2019s take a look at some of the real facts of life.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/infertility-why-dont-people-talk-about-it\/#Male_factor_infertility_is_increasing_dramatically\" title=\"Male factor infertility is increasing dramatically\">Male factor infertility is increasing dramatically<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/infertility-why-dont-people-talk-about-it\/#Patterns_of_childbirth_age_for_women_are_changing\" title=\"Patterns of childbirth age for women are changing\">Patterns of childbirth age for women are changing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/infertility-why-dont-people-talk-about-it\/#Secondary_infertility_The_unacknowledged_infertility_problem\" title=\"Secondary infertility: The unacknowledged infertility problem\">Secondary infertility: The unacknowledged infertility problem<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/infertility-why-dont-people-talk-about-it\/#Talking_to_us_at_IVI\" title=\"Talking to us at IVI\">Talking to us at IVI<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Male_factor_infertility_is_increasing_dramatically\"><\/span>Male factor infertility is increasing dramatically<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In 2017, <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/humupd\/article\/23\/6\/646\/4035689\">a study published in Human Reproduction Update<\/a> found that male fertility in the developed world has decreased over the past few decades. Measured primarily by sperm concentration and total sperm count, the overall decline was 52.4% with an annual decline rate of 1.4% per year and the decline shows no signs of levelling off. More recently, these startling findings were reinforced by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/peoplepopulationandcommunity\/birthsdeathsandmarriages\/livebirths\/bulletins\/birthsummarytablesenglandandwales\/2019#:~:text=In%202019%2C%20there%20were%20640%2C370,except%202000%2C%202001%20and%202002.\">a 2019 study from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)<\/a> which reported that the England and Wales birth rate had reached a new low. This was later confirmed by our own study at IVI of declining male fertility.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, more and more men are experiencing fertility problems and needing help. In spite of a brief flurry of media coverage following the publication of these reports, men affected by low fertility often experience bewilderment, loneliness and possible relationship problems, as well as feel unsupported. Fortunately, there exists a wide range of organisations offering a lifeline in the shape of someone to talk to. As always in the UK, your GP is often the best starting point, but these organisations include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.menshealthforum.org.uk\/\">Men\u2019s Health Forum<\/a>: A charity supporting men\u2019s health in England, Scotland and Wales.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.himfertility.com\/\">HIMFertility<\/a>: A campaign set up to encourage men to talk and share information about their fertility problems, and offering signposts to other sources of support.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fertilitynetworkuk.org\/\">Fertility Network UK:<\/a> Offering a support line, support groups and online information for those suffering with infertility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Patterns_of_childbirth_age_for_women_are_changing\"><\/span>Patterns of childbirth age for women are changing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the UK, along with the rest of the western world, the age at which women have their first child is increasing. This is a result of both social and financial factors, amongst others. Consequently, as women get older, the ovarian reserve and the quality of those eggs inevitably decline. Nonetheless, not all <strong>female infertility <\/strong>is age related. Other common causes include ovulation disorders, blocked or damaged fallopian tubes and endometriosis (a condition in which tissue similar to the uterus lining is found outside the womb). At the same time, the difficulty in conceiving might add serious emotional distress for individuals and couples.<\/p>\n<p>For women in the UK, the networks of support and advice relating to fertility problems are better known and more numerous than those for men. A good starting point for information is the fertility information page of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Some of the many support and counselling organisations which give women access to information and a chance to talk to and support each other include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.daisynetwork.org\/\">The Daisy Network<\/a>: A charity supporting women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.endometriosis-uk.org\/about-us\">Endometriosis UK:<\/a> A charity set up to provide information, support services and a community forum for those affected by endometriosis.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bica.net\">The British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA):<\/a> An association which can guide individuals and couples towards an accredited counsellor who will help them to cope with fertility problems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Secondary_infertility_The_unacknowledged_infertility_problem\"><\/span>Secondary infertility: The unacknowledged infertility problem<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Primary infertility<\/strong> refers to fertility problems when trying to conceive a\u00a0first child. It affects around 15% of couples in the UK. However, this is not the only form of infertility. <strong>Secondary infertility<\/strong> is the inability to become pregnant after having been pregnant before. It affects one in every 20 couples \u2013 roughly 5% of all couples \u2013 and it can devastate our confidence and family dreams for the future, as well as cause major heartache. You can read more about this lesser-known problem in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/struggling-with-secondary-infertility\/\">our blog article about secondary infertility<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Above all, it is important to remember that everyone experiencing a fertility problem should be able to access help and support if they need it, regardless of whether they have been able to conceive before. While it can be daunting, there is no shame in seeking professional help.<\/p>\n<p>You can also talk about this issue through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/gb\/blog\/the-chronicles-infertility\/201909\/secondary-infertility-the-secret-struggle\">Psychology Today<\/a>, which can point to specialist support groups.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Talking_to_us_at_IVI\"><\/span>Talking to us at IVI<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There\u2019s no doubt that <strong>talking about<\/strong> <strong>infertility <\/strong>can help, as long as you\u2019re speaking to someone who is knowledgeable and sympathetic. Many people suffering with infertility steer clear of opening up to friends, family, and even their partners for fear of an uninformed or insensitive response. At IVI, we&#8217;re here to help you tackle all your questions and concerns in detail. Whether you would like to learn about potential treatment options or just need a qualified fertility expert to discuss your situation with, we can provide support. You can also access our in-house counselling service, which is an integral part of all of our treatments at IVI.<\/p>\n<p>You can get in touch with us through our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/ask-for-an-appointment\/\">online contact form<\/a>, or give us a call on 0800 52 00 161.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Infertility sometimes seems like one of the last social taboos, especially in an era when every passing year sees a previously unthinkable opening up of \u2018private\u2019 topics for discussion. Conversations about money and financial earnings, unheard of in previous generations, become easy topics for social chit-chat. On a more personal level, sexuality and gender identity&#8230; <a class=\"view-article\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/infertility-why-dont-people-talk-about-it\/\">View Article<\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":102560,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[219],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Infertility: Why don\u2019t more people talk about it? - IVI UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We share a common assumption that, come the right time, we\u2019ll go ahead and have kids. 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