Infertility

Becoming pregnant and having children is a natural event. Many people are therefore shocked when they start trying for a baby yet don't immediately conceive. About 1 in 6 of all couples seek help because they have difficulty in conceiving. This number may seem incredibly high but getting pregnant isn't quite as easy as we perceive it to be. Infertility is so commonplace that 10th June is now marked as National Infertility Day.

For people who have normal fertility you have about a 33% chance of getting pregnant in any one month. About 10% of couples with normal fertility take more than a year to conceive.

Childlessness and continual attempts to have children can place a huge emotional and physical strain on a couple and relationships can breakdown as the increasing pressure becomes unbearable.

Infertility affects both people in a relationship, regardless of who may have the physical problem. You will cope in different ways and if you are the one who has the fertility problem you will respond differently to your partner. Accept that your partner has their own coping mechanisms and don't expect them to cry or get angry just because you do. It is vital that you can support the other partner when they express how they feel - whether that be depression, frustration or anger.

Even if your relationship is open and strong and you are able to discuss your feelings and support each other, infertility will have an impact on your relationship; you may still need help to ensure that your relationship survives. There is more support and information in the following section including details of support groups where you can find assistance outside of your relationship or as a couple.

Follow this link for more advice on infertility from the Centre for Reproductive Medicine. There is also help to be found at the Infertility Network .