It was an afternoon of new learnings and renewed hope {especially for those who are suffering from infertility} at Merck’s Fertility Awareness 2017: Bridging Baby Steps event held at the Garden Ballroom Hal 3 and 4 of Edsa Shangri-la Manila last 21 October. It was also interesting as we were joined not only by couples seeking to increase their knowledge about infertility and looking for ways to combat it, but also by a couple who have waited for 16 years to conceive a child, tried In-Vitro Fertilization, and was blessed with a set of twins!
Infertility Facts
According to Dr. Leonardo Almeda, infertility is the inability to achieve pregnancy after one year of adequate cohabitation or after 6 months if the woman is older than 35. The term describes a man who cannot get a woman pregnant and a woman who cannot get pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term and one out of 10 Filipinos is suffering from this condition. Among the factors that can contribute to infertility include health conditions, behaviors, age, and genetics.
Generally, as age increases so does the likelihood of infertility. Older men produce fewer and lower-quality sperm in the same manner that older women have fewer and lower-quality eggs. The risk of some health conditions associated with infertility increases with age. Age-related declines in sperm and egg quality also increase the risk of health conditions such as Down Syndrome, autism, and schizophrenia in future generations.
During the event mums are asked to take the Fertility Quiz and I was relieved to find out that my results indicated that I do not need to see a reproduction specialist. Although my little man is more than a handful, it will be awesome to have another baby so he can have a playmate and a best friend.
