What is secondary infertility as recently spoken by Shark Tank's Namita Thapar

With its intriguing pitches to the judges that revealed some of their hidden truths about their ventures, Shark Tank India has captivated everyone's attention. Namita Thapar, a businesswoman and the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, spoke candidly about her difficulties conceiving her second child via in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) in one of the episodes.

At the age of 28, Thapar naturally conceived, giving birth to a child. When the businesswoman wanted a second child after three to four years, she, however, stumbled into fertility issues. She decided to have IVF twice and underwent 25 painful injections, which caused her great physical and mental pain. Eventually, she decided to drop the idea of undergoing the IVF procedure however she was lucky enough to conceive naturally for the second time. The entrepreneur made the decision to let others know what she had been through. In fact, she has also addressed it in her book.

Dr. Rohit Gutgutia, Medical Director at Nova IVF Fertility, Eastern India says, “One might assume that achieving a second pregnancy would be successful and easy after having the first child. It may be tough to accept the bitter truth but this is not always true for many women who are aspiring to be a mother again. Millions of women undergo the unwelcome surprise of experiencing secondary infertility, a condition where a woman is unable to conceive or carry a baby despite having conceived naturally and given birth in the past.”

“When a woman experiences secondary infertility, there are treatment options with assisted reproductive technologies available for a successful pregnancy depending on the cause behind infertility. One of the popularly undertaken procedures is In vitro fertilization (IVF), a procedure where the eggs are surgically retrieved from the uterus and are fertilized in a lab with sperm. After the sperm and egg fertilize to form embryos, it is transferred back into the uterus,” says Dr. Gutgutia.

Age: A woman's fertility starts to decline with age, especially after the age of 35 or above.
Endometriosis: Few women may have endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the uterus lining grows outside the womb posing problems while conceiving a child.
Blocked fallopian tubes: When the Fallopian Tubes which carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus are blocked due to pelvic infections, it may result in secondary infertility.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): When diagnosed with PCOS, the male sex hormones are higher which prevents regular ovulation and menstruation.
Excessive weight gain may lead to ovarian dysfunction resulting in secondary infertility.

“Not only women but men too are adversely affected by secondary infertility, a situation where a previously fertile male is experiencing issues to have another child. The root cause behind secondary infertility in men is usually caused by a testicular varicocele, a condition where the veins in the scrotum or the skin encasing the testicles are enlarged due to low sperm production or infertility,” says Dr. Gutgutia.

In conclusion, secondary infertility may be physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing for couples; however, with the inclusion of assisted reproductive technologies in the medical sphere, secondary infertility can be treated by oral medications or an IVF procedure. While experiencing secondary infertility, it is important to consult a fertility specialist for suggestions to achieve parenthood again.