Second Coming

You and your partner want another baby, but conceiving is proving to be stubborn this time around. Here’s all you need to know about secondary infertility and how to cope with it. by

- Saswati Sarkar

“WHEN WE WERE thinking of a second child 6 years after Rohan, it seemed like a plan, not merely a ‘hope’,” recalls Kolkata-based Shrirupa Sanyal, mom to Rohan, 9, and Rinita, 8 months. However, in a few months’ time the ‘plan’ turned into a prayer’ with that little blue line appearing on the window of each and every pregnancy test.

Like many couples who easily conceived and carried their first child, the Sanyal couple also faced a shocking diagnosis: Secondary infertility. The term refers to the inability to carry to term a subsequent child after 12 months of unprotected intercourse.

Problems in getting pregnant are mostly same as those that cause primary infertility, while others relate to problems that have to do with time and issues associated with the previous pregnancy. Here is a low-down on the causes and coping strategies for the condition.

age matters

The decline in fertility between a first and an attempted second pregnancy can often be traced back to age. Your most fertile years are between 15 and 30, with a drop occurring at 30 and a deep plunge at 35. A woman’s eggs suffer chromosomal damage as they age—the older the eggs, the more damaged they are, and the less likely to fertilize or go to term.

health conditions