Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive a child after one year of regular unprotected intercourse according to the definition of the World Health Organization. In Western Europe approximately 12 to15 % of all couples are affected by infertility. In Africa this rate may be much higher, affecting as many as 30 % of all women during their reproductive life span.
Even in the event that a pregnancy does not occur during 12 months of unprotected intercourse, there is still a chance of you becoming pregnant spontaneously. Statistics show that in approximately 1% to 3 % of menstrual cycles a pregnancy can occur, however, the probability of you becoming pregnant does become smaller as time goes on.
You have now decided to undergo counseling for infertility. We would like to inform you at this time that there are other avenues open to you concerning having a child. Adoption or foster child care can be a satisfactory alternative in this situation.
Psychological counseling concerning infertility and coping strategies can be of tremendous help in dealing with these issues.
If you should decide to undergo treatment for infertility, it is important to know that the diagnostic testing as well as the treatment takes some time. The course of treatment consists of a series of systematically and logically constructed steps to help you overcome the problems of infertility. This process, which is organized according to well-known principles of medicine within this field, consists of several phases.