Getting pregnant is rarely a straightforward process. If you’ve been trying to conceive (TTC) for a year without success, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t happen. Multiple factors have to align in order for the body to conceive, so getting pregnant might just be a matter of adjusting your approach.
Make an Appointment With Your Regular Doctor
Before you run straight to the fertility clinic, you should consult with your regular OB/GYN. Together, you can take an analytical view of your lifestyle habits, menstrual cycle, medications, and any infertility risk factors you may be vulnerable to. If you have a male partner, he should also be going to his doctor to explore any fertility issues he may be having.
Your doctor will probably start exploring your fertility issues with some basic fertility tests, such as bloodwork, pelvic exams, and Pap smears. In some cases, your doctor may also use ultrasounds or diagnostic laparoscopy.
Lifestyle Choices
Your doctor may also discuss your daily habits and come up with ideas on how to optimize your lifestyle for fertility. There are a lot of changes you can make to improve your chances of getting pregnant, including:
- Quitting smoking
- Achieving a healthy BMI
- Cutting back on strenuous exercise, which has been associated with ovulation issues
- Start a pre-natal vitamin or at least 800 mcg of Folic Acid.
- Getting acupuncture to help increase blood flow to the ovaries and uterus. This may also help to reduce stress and increase your overall feeling of wellness
- Having spontaneous, just-for-fun sex. Many couples mistakenly believe that they need to follow a precise intercourse schedule, which can actually cause more stress and decrease the likelihood of conceiving.
- Drinking more water
- Tracking your basal body temperature (BBT)
- Getting eight hours of sleep – when you are well rested, you’re less likely to be stressed, and when you’re less stressed, you’re more likely to get pregnant.
Seeing a Fertility Specialist
If after undergoing basic tests, treatments, and lifestyle changes, you still haven’t been able to conceive, your doctor may refer you to a fertility specialist. Your specialist will run comprehensive diagnostics to identify the possible underlying causes of your pregnancy issues and will develop a treatment plan to address your specific challenges.
Treatment options can include procedures like ovulation Induction using Clomid or Letrozole intrauterine insemination (IUI) and or in vitro fertilization (IVF) and Your fertility specialist may also recommend more advanced services, such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).
Moving Forward
Although it may seem like it’s taking too long for you to get pregnant, it’s important to realize that a year isn’t necessarily that long. You might still get pregnant relatively soon. However, even if it doesn’t happen naturally, there are many treatment options available to help increase your odds of conceiving.
If you have questions about treatment options, contact us at Fertility Solutions.