Different Types Of Infertility and the Media

Back again!  As is now a week until my big appointment I was thinking about different types of infertility and how various situations can affect the sufferers.  I feel that as the general public are so ill informed and that is partly the media's fault I would try and break it down a little. All infertility causes the same terrible heartache at the end of the day.

Medical Infertility 
This is infertility where there is a diagnosed medical issue e.g. Turner's Syndrome, Azospermia, Endometriosis etc or the sufferer has been rendered infertile by a medical procedure or course of treatment e.g. a vasectomy or hysterectomy.  Many treatments for cancer, renal and cardiac issues and even diabetes can also damage fertility.  Many of these people can't adopt due to these medical issues in the first place and are often told that they should be 'grateful' that they are healthy as they can be.....seriously.  Would you tell somebody who is wheelchair bound after an accident that they should be grateful...no!  That is just crass.

Circumstantial Infertility
This is the group who really get a raw deal from the media especially from papers like the UK Daily Mail.  This group is usually made up of women  who either never met the right father for their children, wanted a career, or had some form of weight/age issue and now they find themselves childless not by choice.  The media constantly berate these women for damaging their own fertility by their lifestyle choices when they were probably born fertile.  This is so wrong.  Yes we all have decisions to make, sometimes we regret those decisions but stop hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it?  Even the self righteous holier than thou media make mistakes. 

Secondary Infertility
This group have been fortunate to have one child either naturally or with assistance.  The media and public at large usually tell them to be grateful for what they have, or are told that they are selfish just for having one child!!!!!  As if they had a choice in that!!!

Unexplained Infertility
These are the couples who after trying and after extensive tests seem to be healthy but still can't conceive.  This group usually have to endure rude jokes about firing blanks and questions about what is wrong....well if they knew that they would have a family wouldn't they!! 

Each group has it's own issues but they all suffer at the end of the day from the fact that they lack the child that so dearly want.  I just wish the media and the public would try and learn a bit about this subject and that even though the outcome is the same the issue is actually quite complicated and needs attention.