What Causes Difficulty Conceiving Second Pregnancy?
Medical disclaimer: Tips provided need to be considered in conjunction with medical advice. For immediate concerns, please contact HealthDirect (Australia wide) ph 1800 022 222 to talk to a registered nurse 24hrs a day, and in emergencies call 000
Having produced the first little bundle of joy, parents are often asked if they will be having more and whether they will be trying for a boy or a girl next. Unfortunately, for some couples, the gender question is the least of their worries as they encounter difficulty conceiving a second pregnancy.
Secondary Infertility And The Common Causes
There are many reasons that couples may sometimes have difficulty conceiving after a successful first pregnancy (called “secondary infertility”). If you are concerned about your inability to conceive then you should consult your general practitioner, who will refer you to more specialized fertility help if required.
Some of the problems that can cause secondary infertility are:
- Complications arising from the prior pregnancy or any prior surgery relating to the reproductive system.
- Endometriosis, where endometrial tissue can sometimes grow outside the uterus, causing ovulation problems and/or blockages. Symptoms include pain during sex, painful periods and pelvic pain, painful urination and bowel movements during menstruation.
- Blocked tubes can prevent the sperm from making it to the eggs and stop eggs from getting to the uterus.
- Ovulation irregularities including infrequent or absent periods or extremely light or excessively heavy periods can be indicators.
- Poor egg quality as the quality of the eggs commonly decrease as we age, particularly during our late 30s and early 40s.
- Impaired production or a decrease in sperm quality can affect the fertility of men.
- Previous history of fertility problems.
- Treatment for cancer.
What Steps To Take Now
It may simply be a matter of timing those special cuddles with your ovulation and trying not to stress too much about falling pregnant.
However, if you’ve being doing all things possible trying to fall pregnant with your second child and are experiencing difficulties conceiving, you should make an appointment with your general practitioner to discuss it. Go armed with as much information as you can relating to your menstruation cycle and any other symptoms you may have and expect to be sent for routine blood tests.
You are not alone! The Baby Hints and Tips community is standing by to share their experiences and put your mind at ease. We asked Australian mums about the difficulties they might have experienced trying to conceive their second child and here’s what they had to say…..
Just wondering if anyone else has had more trouble conceiving with their second? We have been trying for months now right in ovulation, before and after and it doesn’t seem to be happening. It didn’t take this long with our first and now I am getting worried.
- Stop trying so hard and counting cycle days. The more pressure you put on yourselves the less likely it will happen. Good luck Suzanne
- I struggled conceiving our 3rd but it took over my life and all I could think about was getting pregnant but then I decided to let it go and not try so hard and the next month I was pregnant. Goodluck Brooke
- My first was a oopsies and my second took us almost a year. Get a blood test to check your levels and then organise a date night and go let your hair down. Worked for us twice Kristy
- I have an almost 3 year old and have been trying for a second for past year and a half. I was worried so followed all the appropriate steps to find out if there was an issue… At face value I was in a good way to fall pregnant… Next step was laparoscopic surgery. I had endometriosis which was preventing me from falling pregnant. It cannot be detected unless the surgery is done. It was removed and I am now currently in recovery mode. Have been told I am now a perfect candidate to fall pregnant within the next 3 months. Wish me luck. I wish you all luck also
