If you’ve been trying for a long time and haven’t gotten pregnant, it can be devastating. You may be able to take a few steps in the right direction, though. Infertility can be diagnosed and treated in some cases.
After a year of unsuccessfully attempting to conceive, or six months after turning 35, it’s time to seek professional aid. See a doctor if you’ve had two or more miscarriages in a row. Even if you haven’t been trying for a baby for a full year, if you’re experiencing any alarming symptoms or have risk factors for infertility, you should seek medical attention.
Step 1: Go to Your OB/GYN for an Appointment
There is no need to go directly to the fertility clinic if you’ve already seen your doctor. Having a reference from your main gynaecologist or physician is preferred by most clinics. Even if you don’t need to bring your significant other, you might want to. You should acquire the following information in advance of your appointment:
Even if you menstruate like clockwork, you should keep track of the dates of your most recent six cycles. Make sure to include the latest six months’ worth of data from your fertility calendar or body basal temperature chart.
• A list of all the prescription drugs you and your partner regularly take. Certain antidepressants, as well as over-the-counter allergy medications, can have an effect on fertility.
• Any symptoms or risk factors you may have related to infertility.
• Anything else you’d want to know. You’ll be more inclined to inquire if you write them down.
• Be careful to bring out the most unpleasant aspects of your condition, such as painful sex, excessive hair growth, or a lack of libido, while talking about your symptoms. All of these signs and symptoms point to an issue with fertility. Your male companion may also be experiencing symptoms. Male infertility affects up to 40% of couples who are unable to conceive a child.
Step 2: Start with the Most Basic Fertility Assessments
A blood test for the woman and a semen analysis for the guy are part of fertility testing. Testing may also involve a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), a vaginal ultrasound, or a diagnostic laparoscopy, depending on the severity of your symptoms. Additional tests for sexually transmitted infections or disorders, such as basic pelvic exams and screenings, may also be carried out by your doctor.
Preliminary fertility testing may or may not reveal a problem with conception. Couples with unexplained infertility may never discover the reason for their inability to have a baby.
Going through fertility testing can cause a lot of stress and anxiety, and that’s completely natural. Friends, family members, or a therapist are all good options for getting help. Emotional assistance can be obtained via a local or virtual support group.
Step 3: Start basic fertility treatment, if possible.
Your doctor may suggest that you pursue fertility therapy if the results of your testing indicate that this is the best course of action for you. When it comes to conceiving, you may be able to get pregnant by using a prescription like Clomid (clomiphene), Femara (letrozole), or Metformin (an insulin-sensitizing drug that is used to treat infertility).
Surgical intervention may be recommended if you are found to have endometriosis or structural abnormalities of the uterus. Referrals to fertility specialists and reproductive surgeons are possible.
While undergoing treatment, several alterations to your daily routine may dramatically improve your chances of becoming pregnant (and even if you choose not to pursue treatment). Among them:
• Smoking cessation
• Cutting back on alcohol consumption
• If you’re fat or overweight, you should try to slim down (obesity also can be triggered by a hormonal imbalance)
• Maintaining a healthy weight by cutting back on the quantity of physical activity you engage in.
Step 4: Find a Reproductive Medicine Facility
Your gynaecologist may send you to a fertility specialist or fertility clinic if your basic fertility therapy is unsuccessful or if your test results indicate therapies that are outside their scope. Focus your search for a doctor or clinic on getting the finest possible care that you can afford because your fertility treatment is likely to be uninsured.
Make sure you know how much the initial consultation will cost before you begin your search for a reproductive clinic. If you decide to go through with therapy, be sure to talk about costs up front. Considering a clinic that is not in your immediate area? Be sure to account for the time it will take to go there and back. Many therapies need a series of appointments over time.
Step 5: More Fertility Tests Are Needed
It is fairly uncommon for your reproductive clinic to request more testing or even rerun tests that you have already completed. Fertility clinics may do an antral follicle count (AFC), for example, while your gynaecologist could have tested your follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels first.
Your doctor may have submitted tissue from a previous miscarriage for testing if you’ve had one. Depending on your situation, the reproductive clinic may recommend a hysteroscopy or karyotyping.
Step 6: Make a Game Plan
Your fertility doctor will go through a treatment plan once you receive the results of any second- or third-round testing. You can also meet with a financial counsellor from the clinic to discuss payment alternatives and expenses. Your doctor should allow you and your partner time to study the planned therapies and figure out how much money you have available to spend on them.
Step 7: Begin the process of conceiving
Treatments for infertility might be simple or quite complex. The endometrial deposits might be removed initially if you have endometriosis for example. Once you’ve had some time to heal, you can begin in vitro fertilisation treatments or even attempt it on your own for a bit.
Step 8: Reassess Your Treatment Plan
Fertility therapy is not a one-size-fits-all answer, but rather a trial-and-error approach. The chances of conceiving on your first treatment cycle are slim, but it is possible.
It’s important to have a qualified doctor who can tell you whether to continue with your present treatment plan and when it’s time to make major or little adjustments. Treatments are also subject to specified limits. As an example, you shouldn’t use Clomid for more than six cycles.
Even if a treatment cycle fails, it does not mean that the patient will never benefit from it again. Three to six months is the average conceiving time for couples without reproductive issues.
Talk to your doctor about taking a break if you’re feeling overwhelmed but aren’t ready to give up. Putting off therapy may make you more likely to fail, but this is not always the case. In addition, mental health might be just as vital as physical health.
Step 9: Make a Pregnancy-Healthy Plan
A fertility clinic will likely keep tabs on you for a few weeks after your treatment is successful, and you may need to continue receiving hormone therapy or injections.
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What to Do When You Can’t conceive?
• Attend a prenatal or postpartum appointment with your OB/GYN.
• Fertility testing for the novice.
• Fertility treatment that is simple.
• Fertility clinics are available to help.
• Tests for Fertility More
• Create a strategy for achieving your goals.
• Treatment Plans for Infertility.
• Reassess the efficacy of current therapeutic approaches.
What causes difficulty getting pregnant?
Many factors can contribute to infertility, including blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, PCOS, early menopause, fibroids, thyroid disorders, and Turner syndrome. It’s possible to cure a variety of conditions, depending on the reason.
Why am I not getting pregnant if everything is normal?
Ovulation abnormalities can be caused by a variety of factors, including anatomical issues in the reproductive system, low sperm count, or a medical condition. Most reasons of infertility are undetected, and symptoms such as irregular menstrual cycles and severe menstrual cramps might be signs of infertility.
What are signs you can’t get pregnant?
In women, infertility can be characterised by the following:
• Pain in the genitals
• Intense or prolonged menstrual cycles
• Intensely dark or light-colored menstrual fluids
• Menstrual period irregularity
• It’s all about the hormones
• Medical problems that may be present
• Obesity
• Having no children.
