Crib notes

“Infertility is when you cannot get or stay pregnant after trying for at least a year and you are under the age of 35, or if you are over the age of 35 and are unable to get or stay pregnant for six months,” says Dr Sulaiman Heylen, president of the Southern African Society of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endoscopy. Infertility is on the increase due to factors such as postponement of childbearing in women, and lifestyle factors such as stress, smoking and body weight. Recently, fear of contracting Covid-19 has also had an impact on people delaying getting pregnant or getting treatment for infertility. Dr Heylen also notes that there has been much misinformation circulating online about the potential negative impact the Covid-19 vaccine might have on fertility. With Covid-19 vaccines now available globally, the British Medical Journal has stated that there is “absolutely no evidence” that these vaccines can affect the fertility of women or men. For more information on fertility issues, read up a bit on merckfertilityjourney.co.za