Speed Bumps For A Second Pregnancy?

Getting pregnant a second time might feel like it should be easier, but it’s actually pretty common to struggle with it. Here’s the lowdown on this issue.

You’ve settled into a new family routine with baby number one in your life, and now you and your husband are thinking of adding to your brood to complete the family. It seems like an experience less daunting than it was the first time, because hey, you’ve got proof of your fertility right there in front of you. It’s just a matter of time, right?

For some families, this might be the case. Other couples try for a second baby for months or even years to no avail. If you find yourself falling into the latter category, you’re not alone in contending with that stubborn negative line on the pregnancy test kit.

Struggles In Conceiving Again

The term secondary infertility is used by doctors to describe the difficulty in conceiving a second time around. While previous studies have estimated that about one in seven couples are affected, doctors note that it is becoming more common, perhaps due in part to the fact that couples are having their first child when they’re older.

It’s a well-known fact that age impacts fertility negatively, and it isn’t any different when it comes to secondary infertility. In fact, a couple’s age is one of the main reasons for secondary infertility, with underlying medical issues being the other key reason. “Women are born with a fixed number of eggs. With increasing age, there is a fall in ovarian reserve – this is the number of functioning follicles or eggs left in the ovaries,” explains Dr Kelly Loi, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

But don’t think that it’s solely mum’s fault. Dr Loi continues, “In men, quantity and quality of sperm may deteriorate with time, making it difficult for them to reach and fertilise an egg. This can occur as a result of poor diet or lifestyle habits such as diabetes and raised blood pressure".