In the Illawarra we’re lucky to have a wide range of fertility services available to help couples who need a helping hand in falling pregnant, but knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. Here’s what you need to know.

Words Erin Huckle @chucklecommunications

Deciding to try for a baby with your partner is an exciting milestone. It’s a vote of confidence in your commitment to each other, as you start on your journey towards creating a family together. You share an exciting secret in those early days, and each month is filled with the promise of a potential positive pregnancy test.

As the months pass by, you might find that baby dream is harder to realise than you’d hoped. No one goes into the conception journey with a crystal ball vision of how things will turn out. Baby making is full of so many unknowns. From when you’ll fall pregnant to when the baby will be born, their gender, their personality and so many other factors, that uncertainty is part of the adventure.

But what about when the path to parenthood isn’t straightforward?

What is infertility?

Infertility is a pretty broad term, and it can be applied to any couple who’ve been trying actively for a baby for 12 months or more, but haven’t been able to conceive.

Infertility can impact first-time hopeful parents, and also parents who’ve already had children, and sadly it affects a large number of people. In Australia, it affects about 1 in 6 couples, and 1 in 20 Australian babies are born from IVF.

Around a third of infertility cases are due to reproductive issues in the woman, around a third are due to reproductive issues in the man, and a third are a combination of both, or are due to unexplained infertility.

If you’ve been trying to conceive for at least a year and aren’t managing to fall pregnant, book a chat with your GP as a first step. If you’re a woman over 35 trying to conceive, then after six months is the right time to speak with your doctor.

Setting yourself up for success

While there’s no guaranteed formula for fertility, many experts suggest cutting out alcohol and quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) and eating a healthy diet in order to lay the best possible foundations for your fertility. This goes for both men and women.

Female fertility starts to decrease from the age of 32 onwards, and it lowers every year as the number of viable eggs available decreases. Male fertility also decreases with age.

Even with the best possible health foundations, fertility can feel like a game of chance. Some couples fall pregnant in their first month of trying, but others struggle for years.

The good news is, there is plenty of help available to infertile couples in the Illawarra committed to their baby dream.

Infertility treatment options

Once you’ve visited your GP, they’re likely to refer you for some tests to investigate what the underlying causes might be. This could be anything from a low sperm or egg count, through to undiagnosed sexually transmitted infections, blocked tubes or endometriosis. Although in many cases there’s no obvious reason for infertility.

Treatment options include:

● Hormone medications to boost egg or sperm production

● Surgery to remove any obstructions

● Artificial insemination where the sperm is placed directly into the uterus

● IVF (in-vitro fertilisation), where eggs are collected from the woman, sperm from the man, and used to create an embryo which is then placed into the woman’s uterus

The Illawarra is home to a number of specialist clinics that support couples with infertility and IVF treatments. IVF success rates vary dramatically, and many couples need multiple rounds of IVF or are never successful.

IVF is an amazing option for opening the door to parenthood though - it means single people can decide to become parents and is also an option for LGBTQIA+ couples. IVF in Australia isn’t free, but you may be eligible for a rebate from Medicare for some of the costs. It’s worth exploring your options and getting a clear idea of costs before committing.

Whatever your infertility struggles are, know that you’re not alone. Many couples have trodden this path before you, so reach out to friends and family who can connect you with people who’ve had the same experience. If you’re exploring fertility treatment, ask if you can chat with couples who’ve had success conceiving.

Best of luck with this unexpected journey, we’re cheering for you.

Illawarra’s fertility support services include:

● The Wollongong Fertility Centre:

https://www.ivf.com.au/clinics/wollongong-fertility-clinic

● City Fertility Wollongong:

https://www.cityfertility.com.au/clinics/wollongong-ivf-and-fertility-clinic/

● Genea Wollongong:

https://www.genea.com.au/clinics/wollongong-illawarra

● Infertility counselling from Inner Calm Clinical Psychology:

https://innercalm.com.au/

● Naturopath fertility support from Asha Holistic Health

https://www.ashaholistichealth.com.au/portfolio/natural-fertility-support/