Myth: Infertility is a woman’s problem.
Truth: Approximately 40 percent of infertility is due to female factors, 40 percent is due to male factors. The remaining 20% of cases are either a result of both partners or for unknown reasons. Consequently, both men and women should be evaluated.
Myth: Fertility drugs usually result in multiple pregnancies.
Recent advances have led to increased pregnancy rates while minimizing the risk for higher order multiples. Improved technology has increased pregnancy rates, leading to fewer embryos needing to be transferred in order to maximize chance of pregnancy. Responsible embryo transferring is important to decrease the risk of high order multiples.
Myth: A woman’s menstrual cycle begins when she starts spotting.
Truth: A woman’s menstrual flow starts on the first day of normal bleeding or full flow, not when spotting begins. If you’re trying to time intercourse, identifying the first day of your reproductive cycle is critical. Being off by just a day or two can make a big difference.
Myth: I can wait until I’m 40 to conceive.
Truth: When to start a family is up to you. However, as you age, it may become increasingly difficult to conceive, despite all the media stories you’ve heard. A woman’s fertility drops rapidly after the age of 35.
Myth: We’ve already had one child, so conceiving again will be easy.
Truth: There’s no guarantee. Each case is different. Many Americans experience secondary infertility, or difficulty conceiving a second or subsequent child. This problem is often caused by age-related factors.
Dr. Lowell T. Ku, M.D. is an award winning and leading Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility specialist at Dallas IVF, one the nation’s premiere infertility centers. Dr. Ku clarifies the many confusing terms used in the world of Infertility using straightforward explanations.
This week is National Infertility Awareness Week and Attain Fertility has teamed up with our friends at RESOLVE to bust some infertility myths. Find out more about infertility and how to bust your own infertility myth on RESOLVE’s website.
