When You Need to Find a Fertility Doctor

To know when exactly you need to go to a fertility doctor when you haven’t been getting pregnant could be difficult, partly because it is expensive and more importantly it feels like it means you have lost hope for a natural pregnancy and more.

The problem becomes more complex when you decide on visiting a gynecologist, who unfortunately does not specialize in infertility or works closely with an urologist, the you might be subjected to a series of futile tests that may deplete you finances before you even think about visiting a fertility specialist (who again might prescribe a number of tests) as your next preference.

How to Know You Need to Find a Fertility Doctor

If you are trying hard but it taking too long to get pregnant – whether it is six months or even two years – you need to actually start thinking about reasons.

Sometimes, women fail to reckon that male infertility might be the contributing factor. Male infertility equally contributes to problems getting pregnant just as often as female infertility does.

So, if you encounter problems in getting pregnant, then it is time you visit a fertility specialist, who would guide you through the right path to get out of the maze.

Signs it’s time to see a fertility specialist for both men and women

1. You've been trying to get pregnant for over a year without success – This is the commonest and most obvious sign you need to find a fertility specialist. When you are under 35 years of age and have been trying to conceive for 12 months. Or, you’re over age 35 and you’ve been trying to conceive for more than 6 months. This is because, a woman’s chances of getting pregnant decrease as she ages — no matter how healthy, fit, and active she is! And, male sperm health decreases as he ages, too.
2. You or your partner has chronic or past health problems – Diabetes, high blood pressure, or a history of cancer, are few examples that might affect the functionality of you ovary or testicles, putting your ovarian response or sperm production to back seat. 
3. You've been seeing a family doctor for six months – If the pregnancy seems far-fledged after months of struggle even when you are consulting a family doctor for the same, then you need to see a fertility specialist, because sometimes family doctors are not the best infertility evaluators. Do not feel like you are betraying your family doctor! You can ask him for referral to a fertility doctor instead.
4. You have irregular periods - If you have pelvic pain, heavy periods, and/or bowel or bladder symptoms around your menstrual cycle and the physician does not suggest having a hysterosalpingogram or laparoscopy to determine the cause, then you should see an infertility doctor.

Going to a fertility clinic may help you feel more in control of your journey towards getting pregnant – especially if you know what to look for when finding a fertility doctor.

Dr Neeraj Pahlajani