Options for Secondary Infertility

Key Points:

• Many couples seek solutions when dealing with the challenges of secondary infertility.
• Adoption is one option many couples consider when looking to add to their family.
• Surrogacy is another wonderful family-building option, and the right agency can help you find a highly qualified surrogate.

There are three options for secondary infertility family building.

1. Treatment
2. Surrogacy
3. Adoption

Although every person decides to move from infertility to treatment, surrogacy, or adoption for different reasons, people making this switch will feel a range of emotions. It’s important to know this is normal, and you should give yourself time to process your feelings.

If you are ready to learn how people like you have moved from infertility to consider options for secondary infertility, we can help.

Speak with a specialist today!

Coping with an Infertility Diagnosis

Before we detail the different options for secondary infertility family building, we want to tell you it’s normal to feel frustration and grief after receiving a secondary infertility diagnosis. But, secondary infertility is quite common.

According to RMA, one in eight couples (12.5%) experience infertility, and 50% of those cases result from secondary infertility.

Don’t blame yourself for your diagnosis; reach out to an infertility counselor or support group for help.

Options for Secondary Infertility: Treatment

There are quite a few treatments for secondary infertility. Your doctor can help you determine which option is best for you.

Medication for Infertility

Sometimes, a doctor will prescribe a medication to induce ovulation. These oral or injectable medications are often used with intrauterine insemination (IUI).

Two common oral ovulation-stimulating medications are:

• Clomid
• Femara

The injectable hormones are called gonadotropins.

Surgical Procedures for Infertility

A doctor may perform surgery to repair blockages, treat an underlying health condition, and more.

Some common reasons a doctor may choose to treat infertility with surgery are:

• Fallopian tube repair
• Surgery to correct endometriosis, fibroids, or polycystic ovary syndrome
• Epididymal repair
• Sperm retrieval

Assisted Conception for Infertility

There are two types of assisted conception a doctor may try: Intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Options for Secondary Infertility: Surrogacy

Surrogacy is when people collaborate to bring a child into the world. You (the intended parents) will work with the following during your surrogacy:

• Gestational surrogate: This person will undergo the medical surrogacy process and carry your baby to term.
• Surrogacy clinic: A surrogacy clinic will support you through the medical steps of the surrogacy process.
• Surrogacy agency: Surrogacy agencies make the surrogacy process much easier to navigate. Agencies support you, provide you with a surrogacy professional, and help you find the right surrogate.

Although all family-building options are wonderful, outside of experiencing a successful fertility treatment, surrogacy is an option that allows you to have a child that’s biologically yours.

Even if you’re not 100% certain that surrogacy is the right choice for your family, you may benefit from talking to a surrogacy professional.

How Does Surrogacy Work?

Generally, intended parents go through the following steps on their surrogacy journey.

• Step 1: Decide surrogacy is right for you and choose a surrogacy agency
• Step 2: Complete surrogacy screenings with the support of your agency
• Step 3: Match with a surrogate
• Step 4: Sign a surrogacy contract
• Step 5: Start the medical surrogacy process
• Step 6: Confirm the pregnancy
• Step 7: Bring your child home

Options for Secondary Infertility: Adoption

Adoption is when hopeful adoptive parents (you) work with an adoption agency to find a prospective birth mother to adopt her child.

How Does Adoption Work?

Generally, prospective parents go through the following steps on their adoption journey.

• Step 1: Make sure adoption is the right choice for you
• Step 2: Choose the type of adoption you’re comfortable with (open adoption, semi-open adoption, or closed adoption)
• Step 3: Choose an adoption agency
• Step 4: Connect with a prospective birth mother who is ready for the adoption process
• Step 5: Navigate pre- and post-placement meetings and agreements

Next Steps Toward Deciding Your Options for Secondary Infertility Family Building

Take all the time you need to consider all your options for secondary infertility family building. Every choice is great – it just comes down to what you and your partner want.

Contact us today if you want to find out more about your family-building options.