To know if you are infertile, you need to know what the definition of infertility' is first!
If you've been trying to conceive for a while now, you may be wondering if you are infertile?
Being labelled as infertile can feel horrible and so finite, but being infertile does not mean you won't ever be able to conceive, in alot of cases it just means it may take you longer than others, and it might not be as easy or as straight-forward as it is for some.
So how do you know if you indeed are classified as 'infertile.'
The Definition of Infertility
The definition of infertility according to wikipedia.org describes infertility as being when:"the couple has not conceived after months of contraceptive-free intercourse if the female is under the age of 34. There are also similar terms, e.g. subfertility for a more benign condition and fecundity for the natural improbability to conceive after 12 months of trying. Infertility in a couple can be due to either the woman or the man, not necessarily both."
Being infertile doesn't mean you won't ever get pregnant. It just means you may have a longer road ahead of you.
Everyone's reasons for infertility are different. Perhaps you and your partner may require assistance to get you there (say through a fertility clinic), or you or your partner may need to address some personal health issues that are possibly holding you back from being able to conceive, for instance, did you know that smoking or excessive alcohol consumption can hinder your ability to conceive?
Maybe being infertile for you, comes down to something as simple as not timing intercourse correctly (yes, there are times of the month where your fertility greatly increases and times during your cycle when your ability to fall pregnant greatly decreases, and knowing when both of these things happen can benefit you greatly!)
In my case, my reasons for infertility have come down to waiting on an operation to remove a polyp that has been discovered growing in my uterus.
The polyp acts like a natural form of contraception, making a sustained pregnancy difficult. The polyp tries to eliminate anything else that comes along and tries to make a home for itself in my uterus.
So, there are plenty of different things that can interfere with your ability to conceive. If you fall under the definition of being infertile, your next step is to explore why you or your partner might be.
