Infertility: An All-Too Common Problem

If you're a couple who is dealing with the problems of infertility, you might think you're all alone, but this isn't true. Many couples believe that pregnancy should be "easy" and natural, and face both emotional and physical trials when they find out that this just isn't happening for them. However, in spite of the belief that infertility is rare, in fact it's quite common. Approximately 1 in 10 couples who are trying to get pregnant are having difficulty doing so. Therefore, if you look around a room of couples, for example, you can assume that of every 10 couples there trying to conceive, one is having difficulty becoming pregnant. This means that approximately 5 to 6 million couples in the United States every year experience infertility problems.

What, exactly is infertility, then? A couple is deemed to be "infertile" when they are engaged in regular unprotected intercourse, twice per week on average, and aren't pregnant after a year.

Some couples are surprised to hear this, since many assume that one should only need to try for a month or so before pregnancy simply happens. However, this is a true. For one thing, conception is a delicate process, and many factors come into play that must be "just right" before it happens. Because of this, a year is a good standard to go by before a couple should consider themselves infertile.

Of course, some will have a much more difficult time conceiving than others will, and the factors involved in this difficulty are many. Some couples simply seem to be able to get pregnant "at the drop of a hat," while others will have much more difficulty. This could be because the man has a much higher sperm count than average, or because the woman ovulates very easily and with great regularity. Others may have very different situations to deal with in this regard.

Whatever the cause, it's not necessary to be concerned right away because everybody's reproductive capabilities are different. Therefore, it may take some time for some (perfectly healthy and fertile) couples to become pregnant, even though they are not infertile, while others can simply seem to become pregnant just by thinking about it.

If you have been having difficulty getting pregnant and you've been trying for at least a year, then it's time to talk to your doctor. Only he or she will be able to help you decide what if anything you should do next. Make sure to talk to him or her. It may be necessary to consult a specialist as well at some point, and your doctor can also assist you with this choice, should it become necessary.

There are also a host of natural treatments for infertility that you may consider exploring. For example, some doctors say that stress is responsible for up to 30% of all infertility problems. It's relatively easy to reduce stress if you follow the right plan. So, keep an open mind as you investigate your infertility options.