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Secondary infertility
Getting pregnant again can prove difficult for some parents, much to their surprise. Find out why secondary infertility occurs and how couples are coping
Kara Gilbert* was in her late 20s when she gave birth to Caleb, now five. The St. John’s mom and her husband, Josh, wanted to give their son a younger sibling right away. Gilbert became pregnant again when Caleb was 15 months old, but miscarried at six weeks. Now 33, she dreams of expanding her family, but that second child remains elusive. “Since 2008, it’s been wait and see,” she says.
Gilbert has secondary infertility — the inability to get pregnant, or carry a baby to term, after conceiving and birthing a child without reproductive assistance. According to Resolve: The National Infertility Association in the US, 12 percent of American women have secondary infertility; it accounts for over 50 percent of all infertility cases. Beverly Hanck, executive director of the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada (IAAC), says these statistics also reflect what’s happening on our side of the border.
Jason Hitkari routinely sees couples like the Gilberts at the Genesis Fertility Centre in Vancouver. He estimates at least 40 percent of the clinic’s clients are seeking treatment for secondary infertility. “It’s a very frustrated group of people because it doesn’t make any sense to them,” says Hitkari. The couple already has one child, so why can’t they make another baby?
Next: What causes secondary infertility?>
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What do you think?
Kara Gilbert (not verified) says ....
I'm the real Kara Gilbert, my name is Kristi. As an update to this story, I am now 7+ weeks pregnant!!! We're cautiously optomistic that everything will work out this time. After 4 years of waiting, we truly thought it would never happen. Our EDD is Christmas Eve and we couldn't be happier.