When trying to start a family, infertility is a frightening prospect. So often, it's considered to be a 'woman's issue'. And with a seemingly endless list of factors affecting women's reproductive systems, from hormones to ovarian cysts, it's an understandable assumption. But when my husband Shaun and I had trouble conceiving, we discovered that in our case, those assumptions couldn't be further from the truth.
I met Shaun, then 26, at policing school in 2008. In the same class, we found ourselves in a tight-knit group of friends, and it wasn't until we left the following year that we confessed our feelings and started a relationship. Married in 2013, we were in no rush to have children, our free time outside of our police careers taken up with travelling, going to gigs, snowboarding and cycling. I loved being the fun auntie to my sister's children, happy to just enjoy our newly married life. But four years on, we finally felt ready to start a family of our own.
Fertility tests
In 2017, it felt like everyone around us was having children. But after months of trying, we still weren’t getting any closer to becoming parents. Almost a year into trying in December 2017, we decided to go to our GP for fertility tests. Shaun already had a sneaking suspicion that our fertility problems were down to him – he’d suffered from mumps just after finishing university in his early 20s, and had heard that it can impact men’s ability to have children. Sure enough, my tests came back clear and after weeks of waiting, in January 2018 Shaun was finally called by his GP receptionist while at work and given a diagnosis of azoospermia. It was only when Shaun got home and started googling that the seriousness of the diagnosis dawned on us – he had no sperm whatsoever.
This story is from the April 22, 2024 edition of WOMAN - UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 22, 2024 edition of WOMAN - UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Anything but FOOTBALL!
With four weeks of the Euros coming up, catch up with these box sets
The clinic
WOMAN'S GP DR HELEN WALL ON HER TOPIC OF THE WEEK
15 ways TO SLEEP BETTER
Here’s how to get your 40 winks, whatever the weather
Is National Service A GOOD THING?
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plans for all 18-year-olds has left the country divided
The ROYAL INSIDER
WHY CHARLES IS DETERMINED TO CELEBRATE
Does RED make you more attractive?
After years of wearing black Rowena Becker decided to see just how much of an impact colours have on how we are perceived
RUTH & EAMONN - What's really going on?
Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes’ divorce may be about to get messy, according to insiders.
Prince Harry is IN AWE OF MY BOY
Despite his extremely rare condition, Ufuoma Anighoro's son Ruky is a true inspiration
Your BEST BUM EVER!
Look and feel great this summer with our glute-strengthening exercise guide
'Piers HELPED ME'
Susanna Reid on leaving Good Morning Britain, gaining confidence and putting family first