beyond month 6: look for support

After six months of trying to get pregnant, you certainly deserve a lot of credit. Although it’s natural to start feeling a little anxious, there’s no reason to be concerned. Couples aren’t considered to have infertility problems until they’ve been trying to conceive for one year, if the woman is younger than 35. But even after six months, it may be a good time to look for support. Trying for too long on your own can lead to frustration, anxiety and stress which may only make it more difficult to conceive. You can spend many more months diligently tracking your fertility signs, but no amount of determination will help if there is an underlying medical reason for your inability to conceive after this time.

Infertility due to female factors accounts for approximately one-third of cases.¹ Unfortunately, there are many conditions that can impede your fertility, from hormonal imbalances and physical abnormalities to illness and obesity. If you’ve been trying for a while, perhaps it’s time to learn more about female infertility.

Infertility due to male factors accounts for another one-third of cases.¹ Common causes of male infertility include hormonal problems, complications with reproductive organs, illness and infection. The remaining one-third of infertility cases are caused by a mix of male and female factors or by unknown factors.¹

A visit to your healthcare provider is a good place to start seeking help. Obstetricians/Gynecologists (Ob/Gyns) can diagnose and treat general reproductive disorders, but most are not board-certified infertility specialists. He or she can advise you on when to seek infertility support and a fertility specialist. If you are advised to seek infertility support along your journey, there is no reason to be discouraged. One out of every eight couples will experience fertility problems.²

Fortunately, fertility testing have been very successful in determining the cause of the problem and, in the majority of cases, infertility is treatable. Many cases can be treated with drug therapies, although newer techniques, such as ovarian stimulation followed by in vitro fertilization (IVF) performed in an IVF clinic, can increase the chances of getting pregnant dramatically.