If you have been trying to get pregnant, the following scenarios may sound quite familiar:
You’ve stopped birth control. You have unprotected sex regularly. You are timing intercourse with your prime ovulation days. You take a home pregnancy test and nothing is happening.
Or conversely, perhaps you see a faint line on your home pregnancy test. You’re excited. You race to the internet for answers and are directed to an online forum where others are asking the same questions. Over and over, you read encouraging posts that say “a line is a line is a line”. You feel optimistic.
The next day, however, that “line” on your pregnancy test has become slightly duller, but it’s still there. You keep the faith - right up until that moment you realize you're having your period.
infertility is common
No matter what you are experiencing, it’s normal to be frustrated, stressed, sad, or mad when you haven't been able to get pregnant as soon as you’d hoped.
Throughout all this, it's important to know you are not alone. One out of every six couples in the United States now experiences infertility, and addressing your concerns as soon as possible will dramatically increase your chances.
The sooner you identify when to visit with a specialist, the faster we can help identify your unique situation.
We invite you to click on the following tabs at the top of this page to confirm if it's time to consider visiting with one of our fertility experts.
GET STARTED
Have questions about your fertility? Rhonda can help! Rhonda has been with us since 1986 and is a phone call or email away if you need general advice or answers to specific questions.
Don't hesitate to contact Rhonda any time by phone at 888.300.2483 or via email by clicking here.
when to see a specialist
- women who are concerned about their fertility
- women under age 35, who have been trying to conceive for 1 year
- women age 35-39, trying for 6 months
- women age 40 or older
- women with irregular menstrual cycles, including:
+ no period
+ periods that last longer than a week
+ cycles that vary in length by more than 2 weeks
+ cycles more than 38 days in length
+ spotting between periods
+ heavy menstrual bleeding
+ pain during menstruation
- women who've experienced a miscarriage
- women with PCOS or women with hair loss or excessive facial/body hair
- women with thyroid issues
- women with endometriosis
- women with a family history of early menopause
- women who notice a change in sex drive
- women with vaginismus
- women about to undergo treatment for cancer
when to see a specialist
- men with concerns about their fertility
- men with female partners experiencing infertility
- men with difficulty ejaculating
- men with erectile dysfunction
- men who noticed a change in sex drive
- men about to undergo treatment for cancer
- men with undescended testes at birth
- men with hormonal problems
- men with a varicocele in the testes
- men with genetic problems
- men who have experienced a testicular injury
- men who use/have used steroids
- men with STD's
- men with low semen motility (movement)
- men with low sperm counts
- men with poor semen morphology (shape)
- men with frequent urinary tract infections
If you have been trying to conceive and suspect you may be experiencing infertility, here are some common infertility-related questions to help point you in the right direction.
If you answer YES to any of the questions below, we recommend that you seek a fertility evaluation.
DO I HAVE WARNING SIGNS OF INFERTILITY?
Irregular periods, no menstrual cycles at all, or painful periods are signs of a possible fertility issue.
AM I BETWEEN THE AGES OF 35-40?
Female infertility increases greatly after the age of 35.
AM I OVULATING?
Irregular hormone levels and PCOS often hinder ovulation.
DO I HAVE LONG MENSTRUAL CYCLES?
Menstrual cycles longer than 38 days in length or periods longer than a week can be an indicator of ovulation problems.
HAVE I HAD A MISCARRIAGE?
Miscarriages can be caused by many factors, but age and genetic family history are big contributors toward embryo abnormalities which can cause miscarriages.
DO I HAVE AN STD?
STD's can result in damaged or blocked fallopian tubes and account for 5% of all infertility cases.
COULD THERE BE AN ISSUE WITH MALE INFERTILITY?
Half of all infertility cases are attributed to male factor issues.
IS STRESS HINDERING MY FERTILITY?
Studies show stress plays a significant role in conception.
