Causes & Treatment
6 Common Misconceptions about Infertility
Eloise Edington | 6 Jan 2022
In the field of medicine, and fertility in particular, it seems there are countless old-wives tales, misconceptions and misunderstandings.
This is why, at Fertility Help Hub, we share expert advice to help you separate fertility fact from fertility fiction.
Today, to shed light on some common misconceptions about infertility, we have Gynem Fertility Clinic in Prague (see their website here).
Written by Gynem.
If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably heard and seen dozens of myths and misconceptions online. Some seem so far-fetched, it’s hard to believe they could be misunderstood as fact.
Here, we’re going to be debunking some common misconceptions about male and female infertility.
Fertility myth 1: Infertility is mostly a female issue
According to statistics, one-third of infertility cases are caused by male reproductive issues, one-third by female reproductive issues, and one-third by both partners or unknown factors.
Knowing this, it’s clear that infertility affects both men and women equally. If you believe you may have fertility difficulties, it’s important for both you and your partner to get tested at the same time.
Fertility myth 2: Women can’t get pregnant after 35
Wondering, “Can a woman get pregnant after 35?” Fear not, it’s a myth that women can’t get pregnant after 35 years old. While it’s true that age does play a contributing factor when it comes to female reproduction, and fertility rates do drastically drop after the age of 35, it is by no means impossible to become pregnant after this age. Follow this link for Gynem’s fertility treatment options.
According to research, about 1 in 6 couples (in which the woman is 35 or older) will have fertility problems. This means that there are plenty of women over the age of 35 who are conceiving successfully.
Fertility myth 3: Male fertility doesn’t decline with age
As you can probably imagine, this is false. Although men do generate new sperm on a regular basis, their sperm does actually decline with age. There is also greater DNA fragmentation seen in sperm with increasing age.
Fertility myth 4: Using birth control causes infertility
Using female birth control, such as the pill, will not impact fertility. A woman’s menstrual cycle will almost most certainly continue within a month or two after she’s stopped taking the oral contraceptive pill.
Fertility myth 5: You can smoke as long as you quit before you’re pregnant
This is simply not true. Smoking results in a faster decline of ovarian reserve for women, increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy, and lowers the chance of treatment (such as IVF) being successful. Learn more about IVF at Gynem.
Fertility myth 6: Young men and women can’t be infertile
While it’s true that increasing age affects fertility and is often to blame, some young men and women experience fertility difficulties or suffer from infertility.
According to reports, about 7% of women in their early 20s are infertile. This figure increases to 9% for women that are in their late 20s.
While men are also impacted by infertility, it’s less common for fertility issues to be caused by age.
It’s important to know which common statements about (in)fertility are fact and which are fiction. By having a clear understanding of fertility myths, we can make informed decisions about our health, wellbeing and family-building plans.
Thank you, Gynem, for your expertise on fertility myths.
To book an appointment with Gynem in Prague, click here.
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