The quest for a second pregnancy

As a general assumption, when a woman has already managed to get pregnant and have a child, we believe that she does not present any fertility-related problems. Although this is often the case, the truth is that the body of a woman can change over the years for a variety of reasons.

This is something we often discuss at meetings. While it is true that we usually allude to the problems related to infertility in those couples and women who fail to achieve their first pregnancy, we must not forget that there are many other women who, either because of age or due to any other factor that may have caused a change on their bodies, are unable to achieve a second pregnancy, giving rise to a feeling of frustration and incomprehension.

This is what is known as ‘secondary infertility’ and, below, we will inform you about the main causes of this problem.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SECONDARY INFERTILITY?

There are many different factors that can prevent a woman or couple from achieving a second pregnancy, regardless of whether they have already become parents or whether they are a new couple.

This situation usually generates confusion and incomprehension in the patients themselves, although, in most cases, it can be explained once the history of each patient is studied in depth and after we have conducted all the relevant tests to diagnose the underlying reasons for the failure to achieve a new pregnancy.

The most common causes of secondary infertility, arising from age-related problems, medical issues or changes in the body, include:

AGE ITSELF:

As we have mentioned on previous occasions, nowadays, one of the main factors associated with infertility is that many women delay the age at which they start trying to get pregnant.

Regardless of the fact that, as in most cases, the woman may be in a state of emotional and physical fulfilment at the time she decides to try to get pregnant again; if she is a woman of advanced age, she is likely to have difficulties in achieving another pregnancy.

We must remember that, around the age of 37 (or even before), the quality and quantity of oocytes that we produce in each cycle begins to decrease dangerously, making it more and more difficult to achieve pregnancy naturally.

There are certain occasions when we find ourselves in a situation where the first pregnancy occurs at the age of 35 or 36, which inevitably delays the age at which a second pregnancy could take place.

PROBLEMS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS PREGNANCIES:

When a woman has experienced a previous complicated pregnancy, or complications at the time of childbirth, we are likely to encounter certain sequelae that may cause difficulties when trying to conceive again. The most common complications that can be found in these cases include problems created by adhesions in the uterus, subsequent infections, or obstruction of the Fallopian Tubes, among others.

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY MEDICAL PROCESSES:

As we have just mentioned, some of the problems that hinder a new pregnancy can be found in previous pregnancies. We must not forget that a complicated birth may require a prompt intervention, such as an emergency caesarean section, or that there can be certain complications which can significantly affect the reproductive system of women.

On the other hand, in the case of oncological patients, there are curative medical treatments, such as chemo and radiotherapy, which can directly compromise their fertility.

OVULATION PROBLEMS:

In many cases, either because of aging or because of changes in our body, we may experience problems that affect our ovulation. In this respect, the presence of irregular cycles is another of the factors that can hinder a new pregnancy.

CAN SECONDARY INFERTILITY BE TREATED?

In this case, we must understand that in general there is no significant difference between patients who have experienced problems in achieving their first pregnancy, and those who have resorted to assisted reproduction to achieve their second gestation, whose problems in achieving pregnancy, as it were, have ‘appeared’ later, when the woman had already become a mother.

Therefore, after conducting the relevant tests to detect the problem and performing a personalised diagnosis, Assisted Reproduction treatments such as In Vitro Fertilisation are the best ally to achieve this new and exhilarating pregnancy.

It is important to remember that, if the members of the couple are over 35 years of age or if they have had a previous miscarriage, they should consult a specialist as soon as possible.