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February 3, 2026
myHSA: Spotlight from the Fertility and Wellness Collective
We're talking to myHSA on how Canadian companies can support employees with health and wellness benefits.
Secondary infertility is when you can't get pregnant on your own after having a successful, natural pregnancy the first time. There's a common idea that if you get pregnant easily once, the second time should be just as easy. Spoiler alert: not always. Anyone trying for baby number two can run into the same struggles as those trying for their first.
There are several reasons why your body might not be cooperating this time around.
Your body may not have fully bounced back from your first pregnancy. If your cycle is still out of whack, or if you're still breastfeeding, those can both affect your chances of conceiving again. If you're not ovulating (releasing an egg), there's nothing for the sperm to fertilize.
If you have a male partner, sperm quality is a crucial part of the equation. If your partner has changed habits since baby number one—eating poorly, drinking more, spending time in hot tubs—that could impact sperm quality. Sperm production takes about 90 days, so any lifestyle changes in the last few months could be affecting things.
If you have a pre-existing condition like PCOS or endometriosis, those could have worsened over time, impacting everything from ovulation to egg quality. Inflammation can affect your reproductive system in meaningful ways, so it's not something to overlook.
Did you have any complications during delivery—maybe a C-section? Both of those can affect your uterine environment. Anything that's changed since your first pregnancy could impact how things go this time around.
Your uterus has its own bacterial environment. If there's an imbalance of harmful bacteria (called dysbiosis), it can create a hostile environment for an embryo—definitely not the cozy, welcoming space you want for baby number two.
Since your last pregnancy, both your eggs and your partner's sperm have aged. That can impact everything from egg quality and quantity to sperm health and viability. It's not the fun part of getting older, but it's a reality worth acknowledging.
There are also other potential culprits: new or worsening autoimmune conditions, infections, medications, stress, and life changes. After baby number one, it's easy for your health to take a back seat to parenting. But sometimes, the body just needs a little extra attention to get back on track.
Sometimes, it's as simple as focusing on diet, exercise, and lifestyle to give your body a better chance. Other times, it's more complicated. If things aren't improving on your own, a fertility clinic and a Reproductive Endocrinologist can run tests to assess your hormones, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovulation, egg quality, sperm health, and more to get to the root cause.
If you're feeling frustrated, confused, or lost in the secondary infertility journey, don't hesitate to reach out to our Concierge Team at myStoria. We're here to guide you through it, help you figure out what's going on, and create a plan to move forward. You don't have to go through this alone.
