Infertility

[Sarah]

The state or quality of being infertile; unproductiveness;barrenness.The infertility or noxiousness of the soil. Sir M. Hale.

[Sarah]

A medical condition that affects one in seven couples yet isn't widely talked about. It can be both life changing and devastating. It can be caused by male or female factors or a combination of the two. Sometimes there is no explanation.

Most of us spend a long time trying not to get pregnant and then assume that we will become pregnant very quickly when we decide the time is right. For 15% of us it will take longer than a year and many of these will seek the assistance of treatments like Clomid, IUI or IVF to try and make it happen.

For some it seems worthwhile going through arduous treatments in order to keep hope alive and for others it makes more sense to accept the situation and move on as a childless couple. Some will seek to have children through donor gametes or by adoption.

There is support out there on websites and in support groups where you can talk to others who are in similar situations; people who understand.