Infertility is a time-sensitive medical issue. Therefore, don’t put your journey to fertility on hold for the “right time” because the right time to act is now. You might often wonder if it’s normal to take months to get pregnant. Also, the conflicting opinions from everyone around you about when to see a fertility specialist won’t help either. So here are a few factors you can consider to get over this dilemma.
How Long Have You Been Trying?
Have you been trying to conceive for more than a year and not had any positive results? Chances are that you might need medical assistance to conceive successfully. Although this window is shorter for couples above 35, they are generally advised to seek expert advice after trying for six months.
Factors To Be Considered
- Age: Age above or below 35
- Medical History: family history of chronic diseases
- Reproductive Issues: Do you suffer from PCOS, endometriosis, fallopian tube/uterine problems, thyroid disorders (for women)? Or premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, and sperm disorders (for men)?
- Cancer: Have you been diagnosed with cancer
- Injury/Surgeries: Have you endured an injury to your reproductive organs?
- Lifestyle: Are you overweight/underweight? Do you smoke or drink?
Why NOT delay treatment?
- Fertility screening tests stretch over days/and lead to additional tests.
- Advanced age is linked to an increased risk of miscarriage.
- The ovarian reserve keeps declining with each menstrual cycle.
- The treatment may require multiple attempts.
- You will have to start making lifestyle changes before treatment.
Fertility Treatment Options
While In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) success rates are high for certain female infertility issues, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is the starting point for most couples with male fertility issues.
Other options for fertility treatment include:
- Ovulation induction (OI): Regulation/restoration of ovulation using medications
- ICSI: A procedure that uses a fine glass needle to inject a single, healthy sperm into an egg to eliminate poor sperm/egg quality limitations.
But before you decide which treatment is right for you, you’ll have your first visit to a fertility clinic, and the visit will mostly have three parts.
- You’ll meet your doctor and discuss your medical and family history and how long you’ve been trying.
- The doctor will perform an ultrasound to check your ovaries and the number of follicles.
- Female partners have to get a blood test done to check hormone levels. Male partners will go through a complete semen analysis process. Once your results come in, you and your doctor will review the findings and develop a treatment plan. Plans which treatment option, further testing, or another option to go forward.
Not getting pregnant can be discouraging, and seeking help can often be intimidating. But the good news is that once you do look out for help and visit us, you won’t feel alone anymore. Our doctor and whole support staff will be with you, rooting for your success.
Are you planning to extend your family and haven’t been successful for the past year? Do you feel you should have medical help to conceive? Are you wondering what IUI or IVF treatment cost? For any of your queries, feel free to contact us or book an appointment to see our infertility specialist at our clinic.