One in six couples struggles with infertility, yet many suffer in silence for too long before getting help. This week is National Infertility Awareness Week, an annual effort to destigmatize infertility and advocate for access to care.
Dr. Natalie Stentz, director of the University of Michigan Health Center for Reproductive Medicine, said the isolation many couples feel is one of the biggest barriers to getting help.
“It’s exceptionally common for people to feel like they are all alone in their struggles when they really are not,” Stentz said. “So I really encourage anyone struggling with infertility to reach out, to look for support, to schedule an appointment.”
Half of couples may not need complex treatment
A common misconception is that infertility always requires intensive intervention.
About half of couples experiencing infertility will either conceive naturally or with relatively simple advice or treatment, Stentz said.
The other half do need more complex treatment, and seeking help sooner can be key.
Both partners need to be evaluated
Stentz said it is essential for both partners to be evaluated early in the process.
“We know that in about a third of cases infertility may be caused by female factor alone, a third related to male factor alone, and another third due to a combination of both of those,” she said.
Lifestyle factors that affect fertility
While age is a major contributing factor, lifestyle choices can also play a significant role. Stentz points to tobacco use and obesity as two of the most impactful.
“The biggest one is tobacco smoke,” she said. “We know that this impacts egg quality. We know that it impacts sperm quality, ovarian reserve. So there’s so many reasons not to smoke tobacco, one of which is, of course, your fertility. Obesity can impact infertility, both from a female standpoint as well as from a male standpoint as it can impact ovulation, regular menstrual cycles, sperm parameters.”
Treatment options range from simple to advanced
Struggling at home does not mean nothing can be done.
“Just because you may be struggling at home doesn’t mean that we can’t do something to help you, whether that be simple things like oral medications all the way up to IVF,” Stentz said.
Stentz said secondary infertility, struggling to conceive after already having a child, is also common and should not be overlooked.
What about stress?
Stress is not helpful, but telling couples struggling with infertility to simply “relax” is not helpful either, Stentz said.
She encourages couples to take steps to reduce stress for their overall health, while acknowledging that infertility is a stressful situation in and of itself.
When should you seek help?
Stentz recommends scheduling an appointment after one year of trying if you are under age 35, or after six months if you are 35 or older.
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