When should you visit a fertility specialist if you are trying to conceive?

You should talk to your doctor about fertility if any of the following cases apply:

• You are under the age of 35 and have not yet conceived after one year of trying, with frequent sexual intercourse and being off birth control
• You are above the age of 35 and have not yet conceived after six months of trying, with frequent sexual intercourse and being off birth control.
• You or your partner have experienced problems with sexual function
• You believe or suspect that you or your partner may have fertility problems

Why should you visit a fertility specialist if you are struggling to conceive?

Doctors and fertility specialists can help many couples conceive. In some cases the reason behind infertility or difficulty conceiving may be genetic (related to chromosomal abnormalities), meaning a genetics specialist should be consulted. Visit your doctor or a fertility specialist if you are having trouble conceiving, in order to be correctly referred to the right specialist. A specialist will be able to determine why you are having problems trying to conceive and either give advice or offer treatments that can assist you.

The following can be the reason why you are struggling to conceive:

• Having an STI
• Irregular or absent periods
• Menstrual disorders
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Endometriosis
• Fibroids
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Problems ejaculating
• Having a groin injury
• Having a varicocele
• Erectile dysfunction
• Low sperm count or slow-moving sperm

What fertility treatments are there for those struggling to conceive?

Fertility treatments include:

• In vitro fertilisation (IVF)
• Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
• Medications to stimulate the ovaries
• Pre-implantation genetic screening can be used in IVF to ensure only healthy embryos are implanted which will have a lower risk of miscarriage.
• Egg freezing can be done for women who may be starting chemotherapy