National Infertility Awareness Week 2020 shines a light on fertility issues
Secrets can be a heavy burden, especially when they relate to infertility. The generations before us kept fertility issues shrouded in secrecy, which led to feelings of shame and isolation. Now, RESOLVE’s National Infertility Awareness Week 2020 (NIAW) is bringing infertility to the forefront to remove stigma and barriers to family building.
NIAW takes place April 19-25 this year, and our Las Vegas fertility center team is working to raise infertility awareness. Below we have debunked some of the most common infertility myths.
The truth about infertility and fertility treatment
The world is full of misinformation about infertility. Some of it comes in the form of well-meaning but unhelpful advice. Other times, we simply have misconceptions about fertility issues. Our Las Vegas fertility center debunks the top infertility myths in honor of National Infertility Awareness Week 2020.
- Infertility only happens to women. Infertility is evenly split between the sexes. Male infertility causes a third of cases, female infertility causes another third and a combination of the two causes the remaining cases.
- Only women have a biological clock. Hearing about men fathering children later in life can lead you to believe that guys have unlimited reproductive potential. However, like women, they experience a decline in fertility. After age 40, men start to face a decline in semen volume and sperm quality.
- You’ll have no problem conceiving a second child. Secondary infertility is quite common. This occurs after successfully having one child. Often, patients are older when they try to conceive again, so they may have experienced a decline in fertility between their first pregnancy and next attempt. Thankfully, secondary infertility is often treatable.
You may also hear misguided advice, such as you need to relax (or try harder) to conceive. While stress can sometimes contribute to fertility issues, infertility is a medical condition. A baby-making vacation and a new mindset can’t overcome it. By the same token, trying harder or more often can’t cure infertility. Only a fertility doctor can.
National Infertility Awareness Week 2020 – Optimizing natural fertility
Our Las Vegas fertility center team wants you to know that your physical health affects your fertility. As a result, lifestyle changes can sometimes be enough to help you conceive. Our doctors recommend reaching and maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) through diet and exercise. They also suggest taking a prenatal vitamin to prepare the body for pregnancy. By enhancing your health, you can often boost your reproductive potential.
If you’d like more information about fertility treatments or National Infertility Awareness Week 2020, contact the team at FCLV. Also, check out the Fertility Docs Uncensored podcast episode with RESOLVE President and CEO Barbara Collura to learn more about the organization’s events, including this year’s virtual Advocacy Day.
