Secondary Infertility: Causes, Symptoms, and Effective Treatment Options

What is Secondary Infertility?

Secondary infertility means having difficulty getting pregnant, even after conceiving a successful previous pregnancy. In other words, it is a type of infertility in which a couple who have conceived naturally before now struggles to achieve pregnancy again.

For clinical use, the secondary infertility ICD-10 is classified into general infertility codes. That is, the commonly used ICD-10 code for secondary infertility includes N97.9 for unexplained female infertility. In contrast, for infertility related to tubal issues, the secondary female infertility ICD-10 code is N97.1, and for ovulatory infertility, it is N97.0.

Primary Infertility vs Secondary Infertility:

To understand the difference between primary and secondary infertility, let’s understand both of their definitions:

• Primary infertility is defined as when a couple has never been able to achieve a successful pregnancy.
• Secondary infertility is referred to as when a couple struggles to conceive after already having had a successful pregnancy.

Key Differences:

When understanding the actual primary vs secondary infertility, getting the knowledge of the reproductive history of a couple is more important:

• Ovulation induction: Medicines can help the ovaries release eggs at the right time.
• Emotional: Unlike primary infertility, secondary infertility can be more emotionally surprising and frustrating because the first pregnancy happened quite smoothly.
• Biological: While primary infertility happens due to various biological factors, secondary infertility can happen due to increasing age, hormonal shifts, and other medical conditions that may have developed after the first pregnancy.
• Treatment: The diagnosis for both types of infertility is the same. However, the treatment for secondary infertility largely focuses on new issues that have emerged since the previous pregnancy.

Causes of Secondary Infertility in Males:

Several different reasons generally cause secondary infertility in males, some common ones include:

Low Sperm Count or Poor Motility:

One of the most common secondary male infertility causes is sperm related issues, such as low sperm count and poor motility. Interestingly, even if the semen quality was normal in the first pregnancy, ageing or exposure to other medical issues can lead to infertility.

Hormonal or Testicular Disorders:

Low testosterone levels or other hormonal issues can significantly affect sperm production. Varicoceles and different types of testicular injury can contribute to secondary infertility in males.

The male lifestyle factors can affect sperm quantity and quality just like in women, including smoking, drinking, occupation, and exposure to heat or radiation.

Secondary Infertility Symptoms:

Symptoms of secondary infertility include:

• A history of irregular or missed menstrual cycles
• Evidence of hormonal imbalance, such as acne, excessive hair growth, or sudden weight gain.
• Difficulty conceiving a child for over a year or six months if you are over 35.

With infertility, the body shows a wide range of symptoms. Still, there are some cases which don’t leave any signs, such as unexplained secondary infertility.

Diagnosis of Secondary Infertility:

The diagnosis methods for secondary infertility for both women and men are different, which include:

Fertility Evaluation for Women:

• The diagnosis for females generally begins with discussions of medical and family history.
• Then come the hormonal blood tests, such as evaluation of AMH, FSH, LH, thyroid profile, and prolactin levels.
• Additionally, Hysterosalpingography can be used to assess whether the fallopian tubes are open or closed.

Fertility Evaluation for Men:

• As per the secondary infertility ICD-10 male codes, the diagnosis is linked with the overall sperm profile.
• This includes analysis of sperm count, their motility, morphology, and overall sperm quality.
• Apart from the sperm profile, testosterone, FSH, LH, and other endocrine markers are also checked.

Secondary Infertility Treatment Options:

So, can secondary infertility be treated? Absolutely, in fact, it can be treated with various options, which include:

Clomid for Secondary Infertility:

In cases of women suffering from irregular or absence of ovulation, treatment with clomid for secondary infertility is used.

Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART):

Assisted Reproductive Techniques, such as IVF, IUI, and ICSI, are used when natural methods fail to treat secondary infertility.

Conclusion

Finally, we can conclude that experiencing infertility after a previous successful pregnancy is possible, but its treatment has even more potential. Consult the fertility experts at Indira IVF to identify and assess your symptoms and medical reports to outline the exact cause of infertility. Now, with advanced medical technology like IVF and ICSI, there is a new ray of hope for many couples expecting another child and expanding their family.