ABSTRACT
Infertility involves so much more than the inability to conceive a child. This chapter discusses the biological impacts of infertility, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. It explores the causes of infertility including both female and male factors. It also defines terms such as primary infertility, secondary infertility, and other forms of reproductive loss including miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion, early infant death, premature birth, special needs diagnosis, chemical and ectopic pregnancy, and sterilization. The chapter also describes the multitude of costly treatment options for women (including timed intercourse, medications, medical procedures, surgery, embryo donation, and surrogacy) and men (including vasectomy reversal, varicocelectomy, and sperm retrieval). We address grief biologically when people experience loss of health, life, and expected milestones. As a result of reading this chapter, clinicians, clinical supervisors, and counselor educators will better understand the myriad of complex and complicated circumstances unique to each individual who experiences infertility and/or seeks medical intervention to treat it.
