Infertility Not a Woman's Problem Always; Common Myths Busted

Common Fertility Myths Women Still Believe In

Dr. Kaberi Banerjee says that parenthood can be seen as a burden in India because of a “mixture of social pressure, misinformation, and deep-seated myths around fertility.” Nowadays, reproductive healthcare is accessible, yet “women are still carrying old baggage of assumptions, which causes delay in early treatment and unnecessary stress.”

The following are the common myths women still believe in:

1) Regular Periods Mean Fertility

There’s a certain belief that a regular period means one is fertile, but not necessarily. “It is not a question of a regular cycle but also a question of ovulation and good eggs, both of which are needed to conceive,” Dr Banerjee notes.

She notes that age significantly affects the quality of eggs, as the number of eggs decreases over time. “This affects the success rate for IVF as well, which plummets with increasing age.”

2) Pill Attacks Fertility

Physicians often tell women that fertility is usually restored when they discontinue the pill. Experts say that pills are temporary measures to delay ovulation or fertilization, but they surely do not have any long-term effect on fertility. If you use the pill frequently, it might cause irregular periods, but it won’t impact your ability to conceive in the future.

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3) Stress Causes Infertility

While stress is often blamed as the major reason for infertility, it can damage overall health, but it is rarely the chief reason for not being able to conceive.

Myths Around IVF

Nowadays, many couples are knowingly or unknowingly going past their reproductive age to become pregnant at a later stage, resulting in a spike in IVF cases. However, Dr. Kaberi Banerjee states that myths surrounding IVF are also no less. She mentions the top 4:

1) IVF Always Results in Twins

Although the previous procedures involved more than one embryo transfer, contemporary methods oftentimes involve single embryo transfer in an effort to minimise the mother's and child's health risks within an acceptable limit. So, no, IVF doesn’t always result in twins.

2) IVF Is For The Rich

The misconception that IVF is some sort of elite method for the affluent is not correct. Certain centers even have packages at affordable costs, payment plans, and even government-financed programs in an effort to make it more accessible.

3) IVF is The Ultimate Fertility Treatment

Not all fertility treatment automatically ends in IVF. Most couples succeed in conceiving naturally through less intrusive treatments like medication, lifestyle changes, or balancing hormonal levels. Similarly, just because one individual woman conceived naturally, all following pregnancies aren't predestined. Secondary infertility is a medical fact and has to be assessed.

4) IVF Is Painful

It is always argued that IVF is a highly painful treatment and causes side effects, but if done accurately under the guidance of physicians and cutting-edge technologies, it can be a patient-friendly and effective treatment.

“Infertility is not a woman's issue, yet it is a frequent issue that needs to be made an issue for couples. Early medical counseling, as opposed to depending on myths, can be helpful. Treatment of fertility today is varied, low cost, and tailored, offering hope to those who are prepared to be parents,” wraps up Dr. Kaberi Banerjee, Infertility & IVF Expert | Founder & Medical Director, Advance Fertility & Gynecology Centre.

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