Every year, during the last week of April, National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) is observed—an initiative that aims to bring visibility to a topic that, although more common than many think, is often experienced in silence: infertility.
Talking about infertility is not about a single diagnosis or a single experience. It is about millions of people who, after months or years of trying to have a baby, begin to face a reality that does not always come with immediate answers.
In this context, NIAW is not only about raising awareness, but also about changing the conversation: moving from misinformation and myths to a clearer, more complete, and more useful understanding of what is actually happening in the body.
Infertility is not an isolated event
One of the most common misconceptions is thinking that infertility appears suddenly, as if it were a specific moment when “something stopped working.”
In reality, infertility is often the result of processes that have been developing for years.
Hormonal imbalances, metabolic conditions, genetic factors, issues with the endometrium, or problems with egg and sperm quality can evolve silently, without obvious symptoms, until they become evident when trying to achieve pregnancy.
That is why, when talking about infertility, it is important to stop seeing it as a single issue and start understanding it as a complex process where multiple factors may be interacting at the same time.
When is infertility diagnosed?
From a medical perspective, infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of regular, unprotected intercourse. In women over 35, this timeframe is reduced to six months.
However, this definition is only a starting point.
In practice, there are many situations where evaluation may be recommended earlier:
- irregular menstrual cycles,
- conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis,
- prior surgeries,
- hormonal imbalances,
- or known male factors.
Waiting only for the timeframe to pass may delay the diagnosis of conditions that could be addressed sooner.
What is often not evaluated early
For many years, fertility assessments focused on specific elements: ovulation, egg count, sperm quality, and uterine anatomy.
While these factors remain essential, it is now understood that other elements also play a significant role and are not always evaluated from the beginning.
Metabolic health, for example, can affect egg quality and the hormonal environment. Insulin resistance or chronic inflammation may alter key processes without being obvious in basic tests.
There are also factors related to embryonic genetics that can prevent implantation or lead to early pregnancy loss, even when initial studies appear normal.
This has changed how infertility is understood: it is no longer just about identifying an obvious issue, but about analyzing the full context.
Infertility is not only a female issue
Another important point highlighted during National Infertility Awareness Week is that infertility is not solely a female issue.
It is estimated that male factors are involved in approximately 40–50% of cases, either as the primary cause or as part of a combined factor.
Alterations in sperm concentration, motility, or morphology can directly impact fertilization and embryo quality.
However, in many cases, male evaluation is delayed or underestimated, which can lead to incomplete or less effective treatment approaches.
Understanding infertility as a shared process—or as an individual process in those pursuing parenthood on their own—allows for a more accurate and effective approach.
More attempts do not always mean better results
When pregnancy is not achieved, it is common to assume that the solution is simply to try more times.
However, repeating the same approach without understanding what is happening can lead to the same outcome.
One of the most important advances in assisted reproduction has been recognizing that each case is different and that treatments must be tailored to each patient’s specific characteristics.
This involves going beyond standard protocols and analyzing factors such as:
- egg quality,
- embryonic genetics,
- endometrial receptivity,
- and metabolic environment.
When these elements are evaluated together, it becomes possible to adjust the strategy and improve the chances of success.
The emotional impact of infertility
Although infertility has a medical basis, its impact goes far beyond the physical.
The experience of trying month after month without success, the expectations built around each cycle, and the uncertainty about what comes next can create significant emotional strain.
This is often compounded by social pressure, comments from others, and the feeling that time is passing.
National Infertility Awareness Week also aims to highlight this dimension: infertility is not just a diagnosis, but an experience that requires support.
Recognizing this impact is not secondary—it is part of the process and can influence how decisions are made.
The importance of clear information
One of the main goals of this week is to promote access to reliable information.
In fertility, there are many myths and misconceptions that can create false expectations or delay important decisions.
Phrases like “just relax,” “it will happen when the time is right,” or “the next try will work” may sound reassuring, but they do not replace a proper medical evaluation.
Having clear information helps you understand:
- what is happening,
- what options exist,
- and what the most appropriate next step is.
And that changes the entire experience.
Ingenes: a different approach to understanding infertility
At Ingenes, infertility is not treated as an isolated issue or approached with generic solutions.
The approach is based on understanding that each case may involve multiple factors and that achieving better outcomes requires analyzing them in an integrated way.
This includes combining:
- clinical evaluation,
- hormonal and metabolic testing,
- genetic analysis,
- and technologies that allow for a more precise assessment of egg, embryo, and endometrial quality.
The goal is not just to try, but to understand what is happening and act accordingly.
In many cases, this makes the difference between repeating cycles without change and moving forward with a clearer, more personalized strategy.
The true meaning of National Infertility Awareness Week
National Infertility Awareness Week is not just a visibility campaign. It is an invitation to rethink how infertility is understood.
To stop seeing it as an isolated issue or a matter of luck.
To recognize that there are causes, processes, and tools that can help explain what is happening.
And most importantly, to understand that not having immediate answers does not mean there are no answers.
Conclusion
Infertility is more common than many people realize, but it is also an area where science has advanced significantly.
Understanding your body, identifying the factors that may be influencing your fertility, and making decisions based on real information can completely change your path.
If you have been trying to have a baby without success, or if you want to better understand your fertility before taking that step, it is important to know that there are more comprehensive ways to evaluate and address the situation.
At Ingenes, we work with an approach that integrates different levels of the reproductive process to provide clearer answers and more precise strategies.
Because when infertility is understood more deeply, decisions change… and with them, the possibilities of having a baby.