Infertility

Infertility, including secondary infertility, whether medically explained or not, can profoundly impact both women, men, and married couples. According to the CDC, around 10% of women aged 15 to 44 will experience infertility, while 9% of men are affected as well (www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr067.pdf).

Much like miscarriage, infertility remains an often-unspoken struggle in American society. But why? With so many silently enduring this challenge, it’s vital that we recognize the importance of supporting those in pain and reminding them that they are NOT forgotten or alone.

The journey of infertility can be incredibly painful. Infertility may be accompanied by feelings of shame, frustration within relationships, and sometimes long-term guilt, despair, or depression.

During this time, individuals often feel isolated in their sorrow and confusion. They might receive well-meaning “words of encouragement” from family and friends that end up causing more harm than good. Some remarks are so misguided that, in retrospect, we can only laugh (slightly) at the absurd suggestions people gave us, thinking they held the key to a “guaranteed pregnancy”.

After our miscarriage, our doctors assured us that we’d have “no problems” getting pregnant again. But life, it seems, had a different plan. We both underwent numerous medical exams, and each time the results were the same: “There’s nothing wrong with either of you.” After years of navigating this difficult path of “medically unexplained infertility”, we felt led by God to pursue adoption.