Infertility Resources

If you are struggling with infertility, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 7.3 million people, of childbearing age, experience infertility in the United States.

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive within one year of trying, or not being able to carry a child to live birth. Infertility may occur in a couple’s first attempts to bring a child into the world, or as secondary infertility when they have successfully given birth before, but are not able to do so again. Women who are able to get pregnant, but have miscarriages, are also said to be infertile.

Couples experiencing infertility suffer emotionally, intellectually, physically and spiritually. The Church, with sincere compassion and empathy for couples struggling with infertility, offers guidance and hope through her teachings on how to understand and approach infertility in a way that reverences and protects the dignity of the human person and respects God's divine plan for married love. For more information, contact the Family Life Office at (501) 664-0340.

---

---

Helpful Links

For Your Marriage — Offers a thorough look at infertility and suggests steps couples should take as well as questions they should answer in determining how to go forward

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops — Details the Church's teaching as well as offers suggested reading and other resources to guide and support couples experiencing infertility

Infertility 101 — Article from Couple to Couple League explains the causes of infertility and how it is diagnosed

Catholic Infertility — Blog by Catholic couple that describes their experience with infertility

Hope for Married Couples Who Want to Have a Child — A Catholic gynecologist shares some experiences he has had treating couples unable to conceive

Apostolate of Hannah's Tears — Offers prayer support and comfort to the brokenhearted who struggle with infertility, have a difficult pregnancy, or have had a miscarriage, stillbirth, lost a child and Catholic resources on adoption

Couples Face Cross of Infertility — Article from Our Sunday Visitor features couples suffering with infertility and offers advice and statistics about infertility in the United States

At the Milk Grotto — Our Sunday Visitor shares the Catholic devotion of drinking white powder from the grotto, believed to be a place where Mary breastfed Jesus, and praying for 40 days that has resulted in some couples conceiving when they couldn't previously

Infertility in Advent — Focuses on how Advent, an entire season dedicated to the hopeful anticipation of a long-awaited birth, can be especially painful for couples longing for a child

---