Environmental hazards
Every day we are exposed to chemicals and toxins, but there is little clear evidence as to how they may affect our reproductive systems. Part of the problem is that there are just so many potentially damaging substances in everyday products like household cleaners and pesticides, solvent-based paints, additives and preservatives. Although individual chemicals or toxins may have been tested and declared safe, we don't know the cumulative effects of being exposed to so many all at once. It is clearly impossible in the twenty-first century to lead a life free from pollutants and chemicals, but you can try to limit your exposure by cutting back on your use of these products in your home.
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| Unexplained Infertility Causes |
There may be more specific hazards in the workplace. We know that exposure to radiation and pesticides can have a harmful effect on the human reproductive system, and there are suggestions that other substances could inhibit fertility, although there is not always clear scientific evidence. Agricultural workers may be exposed to pesticides, and wood workers, smelters, anesthetists, nurses, pharmacists and dental assistants may all come into contact with chemicals that may affect their fertility.
Lead, mercury, nitrous oxide and formaldehyde have been linked with reduced fertility, and if you are exposed to any of these on a daily basis, or have concerns that other chemicals you use at work may be affecting your fertility, you should talk to your doctor.
I'm Not Pregnant Yet
You've decided to try to have a baby. You've thought about it, you've had the discussions and now you're ready. You've thrown away the contraceptives, and you've started trying. At first, it's great... you're flail of optimism and ready to go, you're thinking of names and planning how you'll decorate the baby's room. When your period arrives the first month, you're not too bothered. After all, you knew it might not happen right away. Then another month passes, and another, and period after period after period, and you find yourself starting to worry ...
How long should it take?
When you've spent most of your adult life trying not to get pregnant, it is only natural to assume you'll conceive as soon as you allow it to happen. Most of our sex education centres on the idea that unprotected intercourse will lead to unwanted pregnancies, and it never occurs to most of us that we might find that we can't get pregnant when we want to.
In fact, less than a third of couples conceive straight away, and it is perfectly usual for it to take a few months.
Around 75 per cent of women will conceive in the first six months of trying for a baby, rising to about 85 per cent after a year. These are the average figures for all ages, and on the whole women who are older are more likely to take longer to conceive. For those between the ages of 35 and 39, there's just a 60 per cent chance of getting pregnant after a year of trying.
Although this does clearly illustrate that women become less fertile as they get older, it doesn't mean that all women over 35 will necessarily have problems. The majority of women of this age who want a baby will still get pregnant without any medical help. In general, the longer you have been trying to conceive without success, the less likely it is to happen, and couples who have been trying for a baby for more than three years have around a 3 per cent chance of conceiving during each cycle at the most.
'We grow up being told that if we miss one contraceptive pill, that's enough to get pregnant if you have unprotected sex. We believe that we've created a situation of choice, where we can choose what we want to happen to our bodies and when we want it to happen, and, of course, nature plays tricks on us.' Siobhon, 41. To find out more, you can check out Unexplained Infertility Causes.
