“Early childbirth does not guarantee fertility”

Anytime the issue of infertility comes up, some people point accusing fingers at women or men who have never had a child.

This is why when one of a couple has a child from a previous relationship and is yearning for another but to no avail, such a situation triggers accusation and counter accusations in society.

But what many people are ignorant of is the fact that having a child earlier in life does not guarantee that such a person would not suffer infertility later.

Infertility according to Dr. Lughano Ndovie a Merck Foundation Alumni and a Scientific Committee Member in a compilation titled “infertility awareness prevention and management “, defined infertility as the failure to conceive after 12 months period of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.

This therefore does not matter whether one has had a child previously or not.

The condition was further sub divided  into a Primary Infertility  that is couples that have never conceived and Secondary infertility  on the other hand which has to do with couple who have conceived before but now failing to get pregnant again.

Mrs. Josephine Alai, the Founder of the Single Parenting with Purpose (SPWP) a non profit making support group for single parents shares her battle with infertility four years in marriage after 11 years of having a set of twins out of wedlock.

“Having kids before, I didn’t know that having kids again would be that much of a challenge. My husband and I had to go through a lot of processes in our quest to get a child” she disclosed.

“I so desperately needed to bear a child for my husband who loved me and my twins so much my words cannot describe” she disclosed to the Spectator in an interview.

Mrs. Alai recalled how she took to “self medications, herbal concoctions, had several tests,ranging from hormonal treatments , HSG,Hydrotubation,IUI,from doctor to doctor yet nothing worked”. 

She commended her husband for his support during what she described as turbulent times and who always calmed and assured her that all will be well.

She said as a Christian she always prayed about it and would pass by the church to do so as often as possible. 

“Lord,I have served you. Where did I go wrong? You gave me children, not one but twins when I was so young and not ready to have them. You gave me a second chance at life and given me a man who loves and honours me,why would u withhold a child from us” she questioned God. 

The Founder of Single Parenting With a Purpose said as human as she was, she got tired and gave up.

“Interestingly, I found out I was pregnant when I had given up. For the first time in four years after marriage” she disclosed.

She said though the pregnancy was not a smooth one, she was grateful to God for blessing her marriage with a baby girl.

“For those trying to conceive, be not discouraged. The process is painful but be assured God has got you and you are in Good hands. He sure makes all things beautiful in His time” she said.

She advised couples to be strong and support each other when they a battling with infertility and also seek medical attention. 

She said couples must also note that it was possible to struggle to conceive even after a previous child or children.

From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema.