Secondary Infertility: Why Does It Happen?

1. What is secondary infertility?
2. What are the symptoms of secondary infertility?
3. What are common causes of secondary infertility?
4. What tests can diagnose secondary infertility?
5. What are the treatment options for secondary infertility?
6. Causes of secondary infertility in women
7. Causes of secondary infertility in men
8. Who is at risk for secondary infertility?

Even the absence of a partner will not be a problem: you can always use the services of an individual sperm donor with your preferred parameters. However, some women, faced with the inability to conceive another child, ask themselves or their doctor the question: “Why can’t I get pregnant a second time?” In some cases, the cause is secondary infertility.

Definition of secondary infertility in medical practice the following: this is a pathological condition, which is expressed in the inability to conceive or bear a child after at least one birth. Symptoms and causes of secondary infertility in women, what secondary infertility is in terms of the prospects for repeated parenthood and other issues will be discussed in this material.

What is secondary infertility?

A typical picture of secondary female infertility: a woman who has had at least one natural pregnancy and a history of childbirth cannot become pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term. A very important criterion for diagnosing secondary infertility is the natural occurrence of a previous pregnancy, which was not the result of infertility treatment through, for example, IVF.

What are the symptoms of secondary infertility?

What are common causes of secondary infertility?

Causes of secondary infertility are various, the most common include:

• chromosomal mutations of germ cells;
• age;
• complications after a previous pregnancy;
• complications after surgical interventions;
• increase in BMI (body mass index);
• taking medications or side effects of medical procedures.
• sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• lifestyle factors: bad habits, chronic stress, etc.

In some cases, it cannot be argued that secondary infertility is caused by any one reason or that there is exclusively secondary female infertility. That is why both partners should undergo examinations.

Causes of secondary infertility in women

When looking for an answer to the question “Why can’t I get pregnant a second time?” Causes directly related to gender may be found. For example, such as:

• low quality of eggs (age-related deterioration or the result of exposure to damaging factors, for example, alcohol and tobacco, hazardous working conditions, etc.);
• low ovarian reserve (due to age-related depletion);
• damage to the fallopian tubes (formation of adhesions as a result of infectious inflammation, scarring as a result of surgery, or removal of the tube due to ectopic pregnancy).
• damage to the uterus (polyps or fibroids as a result of a tumor process, scars as a result of curettage, cesarean section);
• endometriosis;
• polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS);
• hormonal disorders.

Secondary infertility may be associated with exacerbation of chronic diseases or with neurological pathology, therefore, to properly understand the causes, a woman should undergo a comprehensive examination.

Causes of secondary infertility in men

Failure to get pregnant can also be caused by a male factor. The most common causes of secondary infertility in men are as follows:

• low testosterone is the main factor determining low sperm quality (the cause may be age-related changes, a significant increase in BMI, thyroid diseases, testicular injuries, genital infections, diabetes mellitus, blood diseases, chronic stress);
• varicocele (pathological dilatation of the veins of the scrotum, disrupting the blood supply to the testicle and, as a result, disrupting sperm production).

Other common causes of secondary infertility in men:

1. Taking medications (especially drugs against hypertension).
2. Overheating of the testicles (excessive sauna use, heated seats).
3. Use of sperm-toxic lubricants.

Since male factor accounts for almost half of the cases of both primary and secondary infertility, a man should undergo a full examination together with his partner.

Who is at risk for secondary infertility?

The risk of secondary infertility is increased if partners have a history of the following pathologies:

1. Pelvic inflammatory disease or STI.
2. Irregular menstrual cycles.
3. Miscarriages.
4. Low sperm count.
5. Obstruction of the seminiferous tubules.
6. Hormonal imbalance.

According to average data, secondary infertility is diagnosed in 10.5% of women of reproductive age, primary infertility in 1.8-1.9%.

What tests can diagnose secondary infertility?

What are the treatment options for secondary infertility?

Approaches to the treatment of primary and secondary infertility are similar and are aimed at correcting the cause in each individual case. The following procedures may be prescribed:

• taking medications to stimulate ovulation in cases of its absence or irregularity (clomiphene (Clomid), letrozole);
• operations to eliminate uterine defects: removal of scars, polyps and fibroids, intrauterine synechiae and others;
• surgery to eliminate testicular varicocele;
• intrauterine insemination (IUI) is the transfer of sperm into the uterine cavity to increase the likelihood of fertilization. With IUI, a woman who does not have a partner can use the services of a sperm donor;
• in vitro fertilization (IVF) is the transfer of an embryo created in the laboratory into the uterine cavity. In cases where the likelihood of achieving and carrying a pregnancy is low even after treatment, IVF can be performed with the participation of a surrogate mother and an egg donor remotely without visiting a clinic.

The vast majority of cases of infertility, both primary and secondary, are surmountable; women and men who seek treatment become happy parents. The only thing that is required of future parents who suspect infertility is to contact a reproductive clinic with experienced doctors as soon as possible after the reference period (12 months for women under 35 years of age and 6 months for women 35 years of age and older). Study the reviews and request an online consultation to make sure that the doctors of the chosen clinic have a long history of treating any, including complicated, forms of infertility.

Another factor speaking in favor of the clinic is the practice of guaranteed programs. This means that the clinic, by concluding a contract and charging a fixed fee, guarantees a 100% result in the form of the birth of a healthy child. The absence of the need to pay for unsuccessful embryo transfer attempts in the case of an IVF program (regardless of whether you carry the child yourself or seek the help of a surrogate mother) is a significant plus, given the high cost of assisted reproductive technologies. If the pregnancy does not occur, is terminated, or the child dies during childbirth, the clinic will, at its own expense, repeat the entire cycle of procedures as many times as it takes to give birth to your child.

If, in addition to the medical program, the reproductive clinic provides guest services, as well as legal services for the legalization of a newborn ― you will definitely make the right choice by signing a contract with her.

All of the above conditions are included in the guaranteed programs of Feskov Human Reproduction Group. Depending on the causes of infertility in your case, based on the results of examinations, the most promising medical tactics will be selected, aimed at achieving results as quickly as possible. Check out on our Youtube channel the reviews of people who became parents thanks to the coordinated and professional actions of our doctors ― this will remind you that infertility of any origin is not a death sentence, but a solvable problem. And all that is required of you to solve it is to contact Feskov Human Reproduction Group as early as possible to solve your problem.

Ask questions to the manager on the website, order a free online consultation with our doctors through the contact form ― you will receive competent answers to all your questions, and upon completion of the reproductive program ― a long-awaited healthy baby.