I remember as well the solidarity, partly from compassion, from those of us who in fact knew very well what could happen, and from then until now we’ve done everything to avoid becoming pregnant, usually without renouncing the so-called ‘pleasures of the flesh’, because we wanted the diplomas, the degrees and the careers, because we wanted to be able to go out with friends, to go to smoky bars and stay out late in discotheques.

With the passing of time though, that murderous biological clock starts to make itself felt, helped by the fact that in the meantime you fall in love, maybe marry and settle down, like so many of us did . You want to have a baby, and with the wisdom of a 30-year-old you try to get pregnant.

Nine couples out of 10 become parents; the rest become aware that there’s something not working and have to join the ever-growing line of infertile couples, which worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation, total around 80 million. A figure that does not differentiate between developed and developing countries, or between ages.

Infertility doesn’t seem to be considered as a real sickness. Infertility is generally defined as the incapacity to conceive after a period of unprotected sexual relations. The length of time which the couple must dedicate to these fruitless attempts before being defined sterile varies and can’t be precisely classified, because the fertility of a woman diminishes, for example, with age and therefore, all other factors being equal, a woman of 30 could physiologically need more time than a 20-year-old to conceive.

While it’s true that no one dies of infertility, a couple that

wishes to have children can’t be considered ‘healthy’, because between them often there are inevitable psychological repercussions. Certainly, everyone has his or her own way of dealing with problems of this sort, and the experts counsel that, in these cases, there’s a multitude of factors that can influence a couple from a psychological point of view.

There are cases where the couple breaks apart, distanced by a sense of guilt or by the unspoken but reciprocal accusations.

In other couples, the partners find – in the desperation of not being able to realise their dream/need/instinct for procreation – a binding strength that keeps them from breaking apart, but at the same time prevents them from living a tranquil life together.

Because infertility is such a personal issue many couples are hesitant to share their experience openly with friends and family. Avoiding questions and curiosities about “when are you going to have children” can end up driving a wedge between everyone close in one’s life. As a result, many couples suffer intensely and end up feeling isolated. However, they are not alone because there are an increasing number of couples experiencing infertility with all the feelings and frustrations that go with it.

One possibility for infertile couples is Medically Assisted Procreation; this term groups together a number of Assisted Reproduction Techniques that range from the ‘simple’ induction of ovulation with the intention of artificial insemination, passing on to more sophisticated techniques, in which a certain degree of ‘manipulation’ is expected of the male and female gametes, as with the In Vitro Fertilisation with Embryo Transfer (IVF-ET) and Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).

The first assisted procreation with a positive outcome, which is officially recognised, took place in 1978, when, thanks to in vitro fertilisation, carried out by British researcher Dr Robert Edwards, Louise Brown was born in England. From then medicine has made huge advances in the field of so-called ‘artificial’ procreation, and various countries have had to modify their laws and regulations as a result.

After a certain amount of preliminary analysis on both members of the couple, if the results confirm suitability, the next step is the operating phase. The first step is generally the suppression of the menstrual cycle, in order to then stimulate hormones that will promote the development and maturation of follicles.

At this point the methods differ in the simplest techniques used once the mature follicle is obtained. The couple is sent home or at least to a place more convivial to the sexual act that ‘has’ to happen (otherwise the whole process will have been fruitless). In either IVF-ET or ICSI, the female eggs are collected transvaginally and fertilised in vitro.

The embryos that are thus formed are then transferred to the uterus, where it’s hoped that at least one will implant itself and so lead to pregnancy.

It is important that couples consider the option of remaining childless if they are unable to have their own child, even after undergoing infertility treatment.

Couples will need to grieve their loss and look at alternative ways to achieve new personal growth. Some people pursue a new career, hobby, or consider adoption. Both partners will need to discuss what is best for them.

Infertility is a vast subject that deserves to be tackled in further detail. This will be done in the near future.