|
Defining Infertility - Should you be concerned ? |
| Infertility
is generally defined as the inability to achieve a pregnancy after one year
of regular intercourse without contraception. This means that a doctor will
usually send a couple away if they have been trying for less than one year
and tell them to 'let nature take its course'. Whilst medically justifiable
this can be quite distressing for couples who often become concerned when
trying for only a few months.
In fact couples can now improve their chances in the first year by understanding how to predict when the woman is ovulating, because this is when the woman is fertile, and also by performing a simple screening testfor male fertility. However, there are some circumstances in which you should ask for a medical evaluation before a full year has passed. For example, if the woman is older than 35 or 40 it may be advisable to have a basic 'check-up' soon after deciding to have a baby. Also if the man has had a vasectomy, or the women a tubal ligation, then consultation and consideration of treatment options has to be done straightaway. If the woman has very irregular cycles or no menstrual cycles then immediate consideration of diagnostic tests and treatment is also appropriate. Men should also consider testing themselves if they have taken body building drugs, smoke excessively, drink alcohol excessively, take extreme exercise, have hazardous and stressful jobs (for example deep sea diving), use DDT metabolite pesticides as part of their jobs (fruit farmers and flower growers), have had a sexually transmitted disease, had mumps as a child, or have had a traumatic injury to the testicles. Recurrent pregnancy losses (miscarriages) are sometimes considered a part of infertility since the woman is not able to carry a pregnancy to completion. Certainly if your partner has had 2-3 miscarriages it is appropriate to seek medical help. You can also take a look at our 'Useful Links' page for more information on miscarriage.
|