Surgical intervention – Diagnostic surgery can uncover hidden causes of infertility. Those choosing to use drugs should be monitored carefully by skilled medical personnel. Others see taking medication as the equivalent to using chemotherapy to treat cancer or insulin to treat diabetes. Some couples believe it’s wrong to use “unnatural means” to treat fertility problems.

For women with ovulation problems, fertility drugs can help, too. Medication – In the case of a thyroid problem or infection, medications are often the solution. Environmental factors may also play a role.Ĭouples today face a variety of options for satisfying their desire to parent, depending on how comfortable they are with them. The number of couples diagnosed with fertility problems appears to be on the rise due in part to delayed childbearing and sexually transmitted diseases. It’s tough to go through treatment month after month when all the tests indicate there’s nothing wrong.”

That happens about five to ten percent of the time. The hardest seems to be when it’s unexplained. A lot of people think it’s a ‘women’s issue.’ But fertility problems are just as common in men as in women. In about a third of couples, both husband and wife have fertility problems. “Some of our infertile friends have antibody problems, some don’t ovulate, some have tubal damage. “It seems there are as many causes of infertility as there are people,” says Dan Underwood, who has a low sperm count. About sixty-five percent of couples seeking treatment eventually have a biological child, but the percentage drops significantly for couples choosing not to pursue medical treatment. There can be many causes, but don’t believe the myth that “infertile couples just need to relax and they’ll get pregnant.” In ninety-five percent of cases, there’s a diagnosable medical reason. Infertility is the inability to conceive or carry a child to term after one year of unprotected intercourse.

The drive, the longing, that “unsatisfied” feeling-these are part of the design. The intense desire to have children is part of the way God structured the world. Thus, what a comfort it often is for couples to discover Proverbs 30:16, which tells us that a “barren womb” is among four things on earth that are never satisfied. The idea of conceiving child as the product of two people’s love is a precious dream, and a deep longing. We’re talking about having a child-someone who will throw her arms around you, even throw up on you. Why is it so difficult? We’re not talking about buying a new living room set here. In fact, “The depression and anxiety experienced by infertile women are equivalent to that in women suffering from a terminal illness,” says Alice Domar, Ph.D., director of the Mind/Body Center for Women’s Health in Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School. And I recognized their stress, which-though different in each couple’s case-was still a normal response to an abnormal experience. After enduring a decade of infertility treatment that included multiple pregnancy losses, three failed adoptions, and an ectopic pregnancy, my husband and I had talked to numerous couples. Infertility is really taking a toll on us.” “It’s the loss of my wife-she is not the same woman I married. After hesitating a moment, he spoke to her gently, and stroked her arm, “Don’t take this wrong, honey, but…” Then he looked at me. I turned to the husband and addressed him. “It’s the loss of a dream my heart’s desire is to have my husband’s child and raise it together.” She didn’t have to think about her answer. As we began to talk, I asked the wife, “When you grieve over your infertility, what is your greatest loss?” True romance follows God's design for marriage and for us as created beings.A couple sat to eat lunch with me after I had spoken at an infertility symposium. How can our marriage be in one accord, so that with one heart and voice we glorify God? Week 5ĭon't let your differences divide you. Glorify God Together: A Marriage of Purpose

What does God really add to a marriage? Week 4 How can we train ourselves to value our spouse? Week 2 Most of all it will help couples know how to express grace and love to one another. It covers such topics as learning to appreciate your spouse, money matters, faith, handling conflict, sex, communication, and compromise. This 13-session course on marriage will be ideal for your Sunday school quarterly curriculum or to use in your small group.

Pregnancy bible study for couples