Waiting for a second child

Secondary infertility is an often misunderstood condition that can cause bemusement among friends and family, and immense distress to parents, writes Leanna Byrne.

Six out of ten couples are finding it difficult to conceive a second child. Picture: Getty

When Karen D tried for her second child she expected to conceive immediately. The first time it had happened so naturally, issues with fertility never crossed her mind. When it didn’t happen, friends and family says she wasn’t trying hard enough. Nobody believed it was possible that she could have one child and not another.

For Karen and many other women, secondary infertility (SI) is a phenomenon that is often dismissed by the ...