infertility

Most literature will dictate that a woman should wait at least one year before seeking help in getting pregnant.  I, personally, have talked to many women who say that the first question the doctor asks is, “How long have you been trying?”, and if her answer is less than 12 months, she’s told to return when it has been a full year of negative tests.  Of course, if a woman is over the age of 35, the year long waiting period is lessened to six months, but that can still seem like a very long time when the sound of your heartbeat is drowned out by the ticking of your biological clock.  There are ways to “beat the system” so to speak, when it comes to getting a doctor to actually help you before this seemingly mandatory time period is up.

The first thing a woman should do is to begin taking her basal body temperature and recording it faithfully.  It is also helpful to note cervical fluid (or lack thereof) on the sheet with the temperature.  Going into the doctor’s office with one chart isn’t going to help you much — going in there armed with five or six charts, though, is a different story.  In addition to the cervical fluid, you should be noting the dates which you have intercourse.  This is important so that the doctor understands that you are, in fact, having sex at the right time.  Noting the results of any ovulation predictor kits is also beneficial.

Although not all doctors will veer away from this year long time frame for letting nature take its course, some will be a bit more helpful.  My own doctor spoke with me about this recently, and he helped me understand the “professional” viewpoint.  Typically, when a couple decides they want children, they simply think that throwing out the birth control is the answer.  If a few months go by without positive results, they may decide then that they just aren’t having enough sex.  A few more months go by, and the couple may or may not have been successful.  If they haven’t, this is the point where a woman will mostly begin to do research about the intricate details of exactly how to get pregnant.  Armed with the information, she begins to record her cycle data (via BBT) and/or use ovulation predictor tests to pinpoint ovulation.  If the couple is still unable to conceive after several months of trying during the peak times of the month, then they will seek help.  Usually at this point, almost a year has passed since the couple has decided to start trying to conceive.  The physician is then in a better position to help with the use of blood tests, and possibly clomid.  It also makes it easier to see if there are any oddities in the cycle data by looking at the series of basal body temperature charts.  In short, it’s easier for a physician to help you get pregnant sooner when you come into their office armed with information, and a woman who has been trying for a year or more with no success will almost inevitably have been doing research on her own.

So… how can you get your doctor to help you without having to wait so long?  It’s simple.  If you haven’t already, start taking your basal body temp.  Although it won’t tell you anything right away, it will give an overall picture of your cycles when you look at it as a whole.  Write down dates of ovulation tests, sexual intercourse, cervical fluid, and anything else that you think may be related to your cycle. It can be important to note times of stress or sleep deprivation as well.  Once you have accurately charted all this information, call your doctor and make an appointment.  If nothing else, ask for a “pre-conception appointment” so that he might go ahead and give you good prenatals so that you’re as healthy as you can be while you try to conceive.  When you go in for your appointment, make certain that you take your charts with you. Simply telling him or her that you’re doing it probably won’t be good enough — they need to see that you are seriously trying and doing things at the right time.  Generally speaking, any person who has not conceived within six months of unprotected intercourse at the proper times in the cycle should be seeking help for infertility.  Arm yourself with your data and simply ask for help. 

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