Myth #8

THE SEXIST MYTH
“Infertility is primarily a woman’s problem.”

So many women beat themselves up when conceiving becomes difficult. I remember thinking, "please find something wrong with me" because I know that I will go to the end of the earth to fix it. I just wanted to have control over what was going on. Unfortunately women and men equally share the responsibility of causing fertility issues. Approximately 40 percent of infertility is caused by a female medical factor and 40 percent is caused by a male medical factor. The other cases of infertility are caused by a combined male/female factor or the cause of the infertility is unknown, which is the dreaded "unexplained" infertility.

I think when men are the ones who are found to have a problem that is causing the infertility it is very hard on the man. To a man being able to reproduce is a something that gives a man his manhood. Men are very sensitive when you start talking about their sperm. So when one is told that his sperm is causing a problem, or lack there of sperm its a blow to his masculinity.

We were initially told that John had a sperm problem, that his sperm did not move forward and that the shape of the sperm was not right for fertilization. At first John was very upset, he felt horrible and used to tell me that it was all his fault and he could not give me what I wanted most, a baby. Now, as time went on John came to terms with our male infertility diagnosis and actually can laugh about it now.

The positive side to having sperm problems is that new sperm is created every 90 days, so by taking vitamins, avoiding caffeine, alcohol, hot showers or hot tubs can help the sperm.

John's sperm has actually improved to the point where we were told that the sperm is no longer an issue. So it can happen, just be hopeful and take lots of vitamins and protein shakes.