That fertility test

IT is not commonplace for couples who are preparing for marriage to do fertility tests, but it is necessary as infertility is one of the greatest causes of broken marriages.

Infertility means that couples have been trying to get pregnant with frequent intercourse for at least a year, but with no success.

Of note, both partners should be tested, as infertility does not only affect women. Many times men have low sperm count but because of societal expectations, they refuse to entertain the thought and rule it out as a possibility for their spouse’s inability to conceive.

Considering that tests are done and an issue is detected, there are treatment options for both male and female with regards to low sperm count and egg production.

For men, these include surgery; treating infections that may cause infertility; treatments for sexual intercourse problems such as erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation that may be part of the problem; and hormone treatment or assisted reproductive technology where the man’s sperm is inserted into the woman’s vaginal tract or used for in vitro fertilisation.

For women, treatment options include fertility drugs and surgical procedures if necessary.

You can also visit a fertility clinic, such as the one located at the University Hospital of the West Indies, to view your options to have the family you have been longing for. The visit might just be worth your while, since many women have been able to have babies through in vitro fertilisation.

Moreover, it is important that couples discuss the prospect of having children and ensure that they are capable of doing so and if not, that they can live without the inability to have children becoming a problem.