When should you seek advice from a fertility specialist?
How Many Attempts on Average Does it Take to get Pregnant
If you’ve been trying for a few months and still haven’t gotten pregnant, don’t worry just yet. The odds are still in your favor. About 75% of women of those that conceive will do so within three months, and almost 88% will do so within six months. That being said, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines infertility as the inability to conceive after a year or more of unprotected intercourse. So, if it’s been 12 months or longer and you’ve had no luck, it’s probably time to see a fertility specialist.
What is the Best Approach to Diagnose Fertility Problems in Women?
A fundamental question to fertility is often, what is the best approach to diagnosing infertility in women?
Diagnosing infertility depends on what is the source of the problem. If you don’t know what it is, it’s hard to fix. You have to have the proper testing before you decide on the right treatment.
Effective infertility testing, starts with understanding the right answers to your questions.
- Are there sperm?
- What is the quantity and quality of eggs?
- Are the fallopian tubes open?
- And is there a receptive place for the embryo in the uterus?
The answers to these questions guide effective treatment.
What Happens at the Initial Fertility Assessment?
Before deciding whether there really is an underlying fertility problem, physicians usually start with the basics. For instance, they may ask such questions as:
- How often are you having intercourse?
- Do you have any major health conditions?
- Do you engage in any activities that could hinder contraception, such as frequent smoking or drinking?
Though these can be relevant, they also overlap with our own patients’ fertility myths they have shared with us. It is critical to put your energy into getting the right answers and treatment instead of wasting time and money.
Once obvious causes have been ruled out, it’s time to look at other factors affecting fertility. Essentially, your fertility specialist will try to determine why implantation is not taking place. An important distinction to note is that implantation occurs when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the inner lining of the uterus, marking the onset of pregnancy. Simply having a fertilized egg does not mean a woman will get pregnant. Pregnancy does not begin until the egg is firmly attached to the uterine wall.
We are here to help.