Keysha Pierre
The other day I was sitting at my computer, thinking up a story to write about, and I received a message from a friend of mine. She suggested that I write about infertility in St.Lucia and raising awareness about this issue. I jumped on the idea immediately.
There are men and women in St.Lucia, whom I believe are trying to have a baby and it’s just not working out for them. Do they even know that we have fertility specialists right here in St.Lucia? I think not.
What is infertility?
Infertility means not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying (or six months if a woman is 35 or older). Women who can get pregnant but are unable to stay pregnant may also be infertile.
Infertility can happen if there are problems with any of these; (1) Ovulation disorders – Some problems such as, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), stop women releasing eggs at all, and some cause an egg to be released during some cycles, but not others. Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition that makes it more difficult for your ovaries to produce an egg. (2) Womb and fallopian tubes, (3)Scarring from surgery, (4) Age and many orders
Is infertility a common problem? Yes. About 10 percent of women (6.1 million) in the United States ages 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Is infertility just a woman’s problem? No, infertility is not always a woman’s problem. Both women and men can have problems that cause infertility. About one-third of infertility cases are caused by women’s problems. Another one third of fertility problems are due to the man. The other cases are caused by a mixture of male and female problems or by unknown problems. Infertility in men, can be brought on by, a lack of sperm, abnormal semen, ejaculation disorders etc.
How long should women try to get pregnant before seeking help? Most experts suggest at least one year. Women 35 or older should see their doctors after six months of trying. A woman’s chances of having a baby decrease rapidly every year after the age of 30.
How will doctors find out if a woman and her partner have fertility problems? By having you do an infertility checkup. This involves a physical exam. The doctor will also ask for both partners’ health and sexual histories. Sometimes this can find the problem. However, most of the time, the doctor will need to do more tests. Finding the cause of infertility can be a long and emotional process. It may take time to complete all the needed tests. Infertility can be treated with medicine, surgery, artificial insemination, or assisted reproductive.
This video speaks a little on infertility.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v2iJcgIKQ0&feature=youtu.be
So, to all women out there in St.Lucia, who are having issues conceiving, please know that there is help out there for you, right in your own backyard. “Just Fertility” a company, recently opened in St Lucia offering fertility products and services such as fertility kits, conception packages and fertility massage is now here to help you on your journey to becoming pregnant, call 7145006 to make an appointment to discuss the fertility kits or email fertilityadvicestlucia@gmail.com. Just fertility located at the Creative Health Center Rodney Bay.
