• Written By: Sonja Poole, PGY2 FM - Yellowknife NWT
• Reviewed By: Dr Andrew Kotaska OBGYN, - Yellowknife NWT

Some definitions:

• Infertility = inability to conceive or carry to term after 1 year of regular, unprotected intercourse
• Primary infertility = infertility in the context of no prior pregnancies
• Secondary infertility = infertility in the context of a prior conception

As a disclaimer, we are going to be heteronormative with our language to simplify referring to the person providing the sperm as the male partner and the person providing the ovum as the female partner, and using cis-gendered pronouns. This is because those are the two essential ingredients for producing an embryo and they both have specific health considerations.

People who are non-binary, trans, or in queer relationships may also struggle with infertility. Referring to people by their preferred pronouns is extremely important and separating our ideas of sex and gender identity is crucial to providing excellent care. Keep this in mind as you listen to this episode.