What is infertility
When people have their mind set on starting a family or expanding the one they already have, it’s usually “now”, and it is difficult to be patient.
Trying to conceive to no avail is frustrating, and every month without bringing the most cherished two pink lines seems like a slap in the face.
The doubt of being infertile starts creeping up, and with it comes confusion, sadness, anger and the big unknown: “What do we do now?”
The rule of thumb is for couples to see a reproductive specialist after 1 year of trying if the woman is under 35 years old, or to seek help sooner, after 6 months, if the woman is older than 35.
This is because a woman is born with her ovarian reserve, which is the total number of eggs she will have for the rest of her life. As she gets older, the ovarian reserve diminishes, and the egg quality decreases. The sooner one finds out there is a problem, the better the chances are for fertility treatments to be successful.
Not getting pregnant after having unprotected intercourse for months, especially if it is timed and the cycles tracked, is one of the biggest reasons couples tend to see a specialist.
But infertility means more than not getting pregnant. Getting pregnant but being unable to stay pregnant is another big reason to worry. Same is not being able to get pregnant after having already had one or several children- we call this secondary infertility and almost 12% of women worldwide are struggling with it.
Main reasons for seeing a RE
If you’re not sure whether to keep trying, or rather make an appointment to ask for help, here is a list of the main reasons people decide to go to a fertility clinic:
Inability to get pregnant
Research says that a healthy couple who is having unprotected intercourse regularly, should end up by achieving a natural pregnancy in a maximum of 12 months. The only reason why the threshold gets lowered in case the woman is over 35 is because the success of fertility treatments relies a lot on egg quality. The older the female patient is, the lower the success rates are, so you’d want to be proactive and ask for help rather than wait until it is too late.
Recurrent miscarriage
The sad reality of trying to conceive is that 1 out of 4 women will have at least one miscarriage during their reproductive years. Most of these miscarriages are caused by chromosomal issues that might not be preventable, especially if the couple is trying to conceive naturally. Miscarriages are an incredibly heavy emotional burden, and when a woman experiences 2 or more early pregnancy losses, we are saying she is experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss. There are multiple causes for this, ranging from faulty chromosomes, uterine issues, severe male factors, infectious diseases, clotting, and hormonal or autoimmune problems. The only way you can know for sure what is causing you to keep losing pregnancies is to see a reproductive specialist who will thoroughly assess your couple.
Irregular cycles or lack of ovulation
A cycle is regular when it occurs every month, even if cycle length may vary from one woman to another and even from month to month for the same woman. Women who have PCOS may experience longer cycles, sometimes even going months without having menstruation. This is caused by the lack of ovulation, which is one of the biggest issues women with PCOS are confronted with. A fertility specialist will be able to figure out if you are ovulating and if you are not, to determine if you have a hormonal imbalance that is preventing you from ovulating.
Endometriosis
If you have ever been diagnosed with endometriosis and you have been unsuccessful in getting pregnant, know that even if natural conception is not technically impossible, you might be at risk for infertility. Endometriosis may impact fertility in several ways: from scarring the ovary to damaging the lining of the uterus and thus impairing implantation. Some women who have severe endometriosis may even need surgery to remove endometriomas before attempting a fertility treatment.
How does a Reproductive Specialist help you
Most people think that by making an appointment at a fertility clinic they automatically sign up for IVF, and this might scare them for several reasons: they may not be prepared financially, they may not be ready emotionally, they would have preferred nature to follow its course, and they never expected to find themselves in the situation of being infertile.
While IVF may sometimes be the only option, depending on your problem, there may be other options worth exploring.
The biggest advantage of seeing a reproductive specialist is first to eliminate doubt and clarify your situation.
A doctor will make a thorough assessment of your couple’s sexual health. This may include:
For her: hormonal testing, an ultrasound to check your uterine cavity, your ovaries and count your antral follicles, a hysterosalpingogram to check your tubes
For him: a complete semen analysis, sometimes doubled by a DNA fragmentation test
For both: genetic testing, especially where there is a risk of consanguinity.
Once all results are ready, the doctor, at times accompanied by a geneticist, will meet you both and discuss with you all the available options to help you achieve your dream of parenthood.
Are you ready to see a fertility specialist?
Once you’ve made up your mind to see a doctor, know that at ART fertility clinics you are in best hands.
Our teams are highly qualified to provide the most accurate diagnostic and offer personalized treatment options based on your individual needs.
You may now make an appointment in one of our 3 clinics and talk to our reproductive specialists.
Let us be part of your journey and guide you all the way to a successful fertility outcome!
