The Second time struggle: Rising reality of secondary infertility

There's a quiet heartbreak that many couples carry — one that often goes unspoken, unnoticed, and untreated.

- TDG NETWORK

We hear more about infertility in women who have never conceived, but rarely do we talk about the growing tide of secondary infertility — when a couple has had a child and then struggles to conceive again. Dr. Shobha Gupta says that “in my practice over the past 2 decades, I have seen this challenge emerge as a significant and deeply emotional issue affecting thousands of families across India.”

Secondary infertility is more than a medical diagnosis; it is a psychological burden. Couples often feel guilty for even admitting they are struggling again, especially in a society that expects joy with every pregnancy. They wonder, “Why now? We have one child already — how can this happen?” Unfortunately, the answers are neither simple nor singular.

Several interconnected factors contribute to this trend:

Many women in urban India are choosing to delay a second pregnancy due to career, education, or financial responsibilities. Fertility naturally declines with age, and even small delays — late twenties into the thirties — can significantly reduce egg quality and ovulation regularity.