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Fertility Problems

couple.jpgBy Sarah Cruickshank

For around 1 in 7 couples it will take more than a year to successfully conceive a baby. More than half of those who don’t conceive within a year will succeed during the second year, leaving a very small number with longer-term challenges.

If you’ve been trying for a baby for a year without any success, it’s worth arranging to see your GP. You and your partner should do this together and should both be prepared to talk about:

* Sex (sexual problems aren’t infertility)

* Your general health and your medical histories

* Tests that can be done to check semen and hormone levels

Common fertility problems

Age – Over the age of 35 a woman’s chances of conceiving are about half those of women aged 19-26. The older you get, the less chance there is.

Ovulation problems – There are lots of different causes, including medical reasons, physical things like being over or under weight or excessive exercise. In some cases medication or environmental factors can affect fertility.

Fallopian tube or ovary problems – including endometriosis, infections, previous surgery, fibroids or cysts.

Low numbers of or poor quality sperm – there are number of physical, medical or environmental problems that could contribute.

Unknown – for some couples there simply isn’t an obvious cause for problems with conception.

What can you do?

  • Eat a healthy diet and take regular exercise
  • Aim to have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of between 20 and 30 (which should mean you’re neither under or over weight)
  • Keep alcohol and smoking to a minimum (both of you)
  • Take folic acid
  • Men with a low sperm count could try wearing loose fitting underwear and trousers and avoiding very hot environments. These precautions aren’t scientifically proven, but are worth a try.
  • Don’t get overly stressed
  • Don’t obsess about having sex at specific times to “catch”, the right part of your cycle. Do enjoy a healthy sex life though, being relaxed is important.
  • Don’t blame each other for “failure”, it can take some couples several years to conceive successfully.
  • Do seek medical advice, and don’t be embarrassed, they’ve heard it all before!
Further information
www.patient.co.uk
www.babycenter.com
www.netdoctor.co.uk
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