What is Infertility?
The control of reproduction has been a major social trend in America since World War II. The condom and foam of the pre-war generation gave way to the diaphragm of the post-war 1940s, only to be replaced by the Pill and the IUD of the 1960s and 1970s. Couples can now have active and spontaneous sexual relations secure in the knowledge that their birth-control measure is almost 100 percent effective. For the occasional error, therapeutic abortion remains as a backup measure. Many American families now plan their families as meticulously as they do their major financial investments, a move to a new location, or a change in job situation — measuring all the pros and cons and waiting until all elements are just exactly right:
Six years ago my husband and I got married; we knew that children would definitely be part of our life. This we did not question. What we did discuss was WHEN. We decided to wait a year or two to let me use my college degree, buy a house, and establish a good foundation before we brought children into the world. We wanted everything to be just right for the challenging job of parenting.
Here I sit six years later, with my husband, established roots, a house, years of teaching experience . . . and no children.
THE PRESUMPTION OF FERTILITY
Fertility is defined as the ability to conceive and give birth to a live baby (in the woman) or ability to impregnate a woman (in the man). By its very definition, fertility can only be known after the fact. Until a conception occurs, a man and woman can think they are fertile, based on family precedents or the odds in general. But they cannot know they are fertile until a conception and live birth have occurred. This is equally true of those who have had previous births or abortions. Past fertility tells nothing about present fertility. Fertility is not a life force that may be turned on at will. Although it is true that pregnancy may be prevented with almost 100 percent certainty, it is also true that, once birth-control measures are stopped, 15 percent of all couples will experience some degree of infertility. Pregnancy may be prevented; fertility, when it is desired, may be more elusive.
DEFINITION OF INFERTILITY
Infertility is defined by most doctors as the inability to conceive a pregnancy after a year or more of regular sexual relations without contraception, or the inability to carry pregnancies to a live birth. It is estimated that 15 percent of the population of childbearing age in America is infertile at any given time. This amounts to one in every six couples of childbearing age — more than 10 million people in this country alone. Infertility is further classified as either primary when there is no previous history of pregnancy or secondary when it occurs after one or more successful pregnancies. The term sterility is often misused. Technically, it should be reserved for cases of permanent and incurable infertility. A euphemism, subfertility, has crept into the vernacular lately, connoting those individuals or couples who have a borderline problem.
COMMON MYTHS ABOUT INFERTILITY
In order to define infertility, it is first necessary to debunk some old myths and say what it is NOT:
1. Infertility is not a "female condition." In almost half of all cases, the man is involved in the infertility problem. A breakdown of the causes of infertility reveals that women have the problem in 40 percent of the cases, men have the problem in 40 percent of the cases, and the couple share a problem in the remaining 20 percent of the cases.
2. Infertility is not usually due to psychological factors. A physical problem is found in 90 percent of all cases that have been thoroughly investigated by a qualified doctor. The remaining 10 percent may have a problem that cannot be diagnosed with current technology.
3. Infertility is not incurable. Over 50 percent of those couples who enter a proper investigation of their problem will respond to treatment and conceive. Compare this to the "spontaneous cure rate" (pregnancy without a doctor's help) of only 5 percent in those couples who have been infertile over one year.
4. Infertility is not a sexual disorder. In the vast majority of cases, infertility has nothing to do with ability to perform sexual relations. Infertile men and women are capable of experiencing the same spectrum of physical and emotional responses in sexual relations that other couples do.
5. It is not immoral or irresponsible to want to bear children and to work at it. Zero Population Growth is an admirable cause, but a couple should not feel guilty because they want a child and are working on it. ZPG means that each couple has the right to two children to replace themselves. Those who wish to remain childfree or raise single children have the right to do so. Infertility, for those who desire children, represents a denial of the right to choose.
Did you enjoy this article? Use the social buttons below to add it on your favorite social sites, or e-mail it to a friend!
