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Many couples with secondary subfertility choose never to take medical treatment. Often, this is because they are unsure about whether they do have a problem - and they keep on trying, hoping to "hit the jackpot" once again (after all, if they could do it once, why can't they do it again?)
What are the chances of a couple with secondary subfertility conceiving with medical treatment? While this would depend on the individual's problem, their chances are really about the same as a couple with primary infertility. While they have the benefit of having "proven" their fertility once, they usually have the handicap of an increased age against them.
If the couple choose to seek medical intervention, they also must decide what to tell their child about medical procedures. The presence of a child at home can make coping with the demands of infertility treatment much more difficult!
The financial burden of going in for treatment can also add to the emotional stress of the couple and they may wonder if they shouldn't be spending the money on the child they already have rather than pursuing the hope of expanding their family.
Adoption can be a choice for some of these couples, but such an alternative is often more complicated because they worry about the possibility of "favoritism"; and may also feel that it is unfair to their biological child to bring an adopted child into the family.
Coming to terms with secondary infertility is no easier than coming to terms with primary infertility --- and it's important that the family of the couple with secondary infertility share their feelings together and maintain a positive attitude.
© Dr. Aniruddha Malpani and Dr. Anjali Malpani www.drmalpani.com
Credits: How to Have a Baby: Overcoming Infertility
