Missed Conceptions: Infertility Is Common and on the Rise

On a recent episode of her podcast "Wiser Than Me," Julia Louis-Dreyfus revealed her "devastating" experience with a miscarriage. “When I was about 28, I got pregnant for the first time, and I was crazy happy,” said the Veep star and “Seinfeld” alum. “I got pregnant easily. I felt very fertile, very womanly. And then, quite late in the pregnancy, my husband Brad and I discovered that this little fetus was not going to live.”

Louis-Dreyfus is not alone. Pregnancy loss is much more common than most people realize. About 10 to 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. However, the actual number is probably higher, because many miscarriages occur very early on, like chemical pregnancies, before the pregnancy is even detected. Pregnancy loss is a common part of the infertility journey for many people, but it is often not talked about.

Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant after one year of unprotected sex. Fertility is known to decline steadily with age; for women over the age of 35, infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant after six months of trying. However, infertility isn’t just about not being able to conceive. Women who are able to get pregnant but not carry a baby to term, like Louis-Dreyfus, may also be diagnosed with infertility. Under the umbrella of infertility, there are two different types. A woman who’s never been able to get pregnant will be diagnosed as having primary infertility. Women who already have children can still experience infertility too. A woman who has had at least one successful pregnancy in the past, but can’t get pregnant again, will be diagnosed with secondary infertility.

Infertility is an incredibly difficult, but common part of the human experience. In the United States, about 12 percent of women have difficulty conceiving and carrying a child to term. One in six couples faces infertility, but after a woman turns 35, one in three couples are infertile. Estimates suggest that more than 100 million individuals suffer from infertility worldwide. And it is on the rise. As people wait longer to have children, age is a growing contributing factor toward infertility. The biological clock is real, impacting female fertility and also male fertility, which can decline with increasing age.

But being diagnosed with infertility doesn’t mean that dreams of having a child must come to an end. It may take some time, but many couples who experience infertility will eventually be able to have a child. Some will do so on their own, like Julia Louis-Dreyfus who went on to have two children, while others will need help. The right kind of treatment depends on a variety of factors, such as the cause of infertility, how long the person or couple has been trying to conceive, their ages, and personal preferences. Over 7 million women have used infertility services in the U.S. alone, while 10 million babies have been born via assisted technologies.

But people who suffer from infertility may not only need medical help but also psychological support. For women, men, and couples, infertility is an adversity that has a profound effect on their emotions and experiences. It creates sadness, anger, frustration, and loneliness, and can cause depression and anxiety. These findings emphasize that infertility is a critical condition that needs to be taken seriously. But unlike other diseases, the scars from infertility are invisible, making it easy for society to ignore. Fortunately, with the right care, both the medical and psychological hurdles associated with infertility can be overcome.