A brain or spinal cord injury does not mean that your fertility has ended. Indeed, many traumatic injury survivors go on to have large families and healthy pregnancies. Because the brain controls the reproductive system and spinal cord injuries can inhibit its ability to send the right signals, though, many people with spinal cord or brain injuries struggle with fertility issues.
Gynecologists and urologists are often the primary point of care for these issues. Your doctor can rule out simple issues such as hormonal imbalances or structure anomalies. But if you still struggle with fertility or have a complex reproductive issue, you need to consult with a reproductive endocrinologist. Reproductive endocrinologists treat a range of reproductive issues, and can also partner with you to use artificial reproductive technologies (ART), such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and egg freezing.
When choosing a fertility specialist, be sure to ask:
- Do you have experience treating people with injuries similar to mine?
- What specific approaches do you use?
- What are my odds of parenting a child?
- How much will this cost? (Note: most insurance plans do not cover fertility treatments).
