For some couples, getting pregnant is easy. For others, it's a struggle. How do you know when it's time to seek medical help in order to conceive? This article is geared toward couples for whom getting pregnant isn't as easy as they thought it would be. It defines infertility, lists ways of detecting ovulation and optimizing chances of conceiving naturally, and discusses when it's time to see a professional -- and how to choose a reputable one.
Congratulations! You’ve carefully mapped out your future and have decided it’s time to add to your family. Sometimes, though, “deciding” to have a baby isn’t as simple as it sounds. Many people are able to celebrate a positive pregnancy test within a month or two of trying. Other couples aren’t so lucky. It often comes as quite a surprise when conceiving a child isn’t as easy as you thought it would be! So how do you know when you’re considered infertile, and when is it time to seek help? To start, let’s define infertility.
What is infertility?
Infertility is the inability to conceive after one full year of well-timed, unprotected intercourse. (If you’re over 35, shorten that time period to six months.) It is also defined as being unable to carry a pregnancy to term: i.e., getting pregnant but suffering multiple miscarriages. Infertility is a medical problem. A popular misconception holds that it is a “woman’s issue,” but that is far from true: according to RESOLVE (The National Infertility Association), approximately 35% of problems stem from the man (male factor), another 35% from the woman (female factor), and the rest is either due to factors from both partners, or falls under the elusive “unexplained” category.
What is “well-timed” intercourse?
A woman is most fertile only once per month: around the time of ovulation. In order to conceive, sperm has to be present to unite with the egg, which means that only intercourse within the timeframe of ovulation will produce an embryo. You can have sex ten times a day, but if it’s not close to ovulation, it won’t do a thing.