Loss of a dream

Loss of a Dream and Expectation:

The loss of one's fertility - the dream of a family - is akin to the loss by death of a loved one.  The depression experienced by an infertile couple can linger for years and years.

For most people, having a family is part of the normal process of life:  you go to school, grow up, get married, have children, spend years rearing them, retire and watch your grandchildren grow up.  The loss of this dream is a devastating experience.  We live in a world in which most people fulfil this dream, so infertile people are constantly surrounded by images of children and families - a painful reminder of what they don't have.  Their friends and family members are often having babies at just the time when they are struggling with the realisation that they cannot.

Infertility is not just a female problem.  In about 40% of infertile couples, the problem is a male factor, in about 40% it is a female one.  For the remaining 20%, it is a joint problem, or the cause is unknown