Difficulties conceiving a child after you’ve already given birth is a condition known as secondary infertility. If you’re ready to expand your family but are struggling to get pregnant, you can find the compassionate help you need at Raveco Medical.
Our highly skilled OB/GYNs have years of experience helping women navigate conception challenges to help families grow. We offer comprehensive care before, during, and after your pregnancy to ensure you and your new baby thrive.
If conceiving your next pregnancy has been difficult, schedule a consultation with our team and read on to learn more about common causes of secondary infertility.
Secondary infertility describes difficulties achieving a pregnancy or carrying a pregnancy to term after previously giving birth without fertility assistance.
Often, this condition is diagnosed in women who’ve been having unprotected sex for 6-12 months without conceiving a pregnancy.
Secondary infertility is similar to primary fertility and can occur because of issues with the male or female partner or both. In men, causes of secondary infertility can include:
In women, secondary infertility can occur for a variety of reasons and requires medical intervention to achieve a healthy pregnancy.
Complications from a previous pregnancy or childbirth can be a cause of secondary infertility in women, especially if you’ve had a Cesarean section (C-section) and have scar tissue.
If you gained a lot of weight during your first pregnancy or after the birth of your child, this could also influence your ability to conceive a pregnancy.
Other causes of secondary infertility in women include:
As women get older, the number of eggs that remain in their ovaries decreases. The available eggs also have a higher risk of having chromosomal issues that interfere with pregnancy.
Blockages from scar tissue, infection, and structural issues can prevent eggs from traveling through your fallopian tubes. Blockages can also prevent fertilized eggs from implanting in the uterus.
Endometriosis occurs when the lining of the uterus (endometrium) grows outside of the uterus. The excess tissue can block sperm from meeting eggs or interfere with the implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterine wall.
PCOS is a hormonal disorder that disrupts a woman’s ovulation cycle. If you’re not ovulating regularly, conceiving a pregnancy can become increasingly difficult.
Treatments for primary and secondary infertility are the same. Our Raveco Medical team customizes a care plan to your needs and family planning goals.
Your treatment plan may include medications to stimulate or regulate ovulation. Some women also need surgery to remove excess scar tissue, fibroids, or other growths that block the uterus, ovaries, or fallopian tubes.
When these therapies aren’t successful, our team discusses your options for fertility assistance. You may be a candidate for intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) to help you conceive a healthy, viable pregnancy.
Call the Raveco Medical office in Forest Hills or Woodside, New York, today to learn more about the options available to treat secondary infertility, or book a consultation online.
