If you have been actively trying to conceive for more than a year with no luck, you be facing infertility. Many couples are going through what you are and you may have known even earlier than the 12 month mark that something was not right.
Many women who use Ovatel and charting to understand their cycles better will recognize sooner than women who do not that they may be facing issues surrounding ovulation where they cannot get pregnant without help. This realization can be very hard to handle emotionally. There are also women who have perfect cycles and still are not getting pregnant. This could mean that is their partner that may have the fertility issues. No matter which partner has the issue, it is heavy on the heart and head.
What Can You Do
The world of infertility is very public today. It is not a secret that many couples will go through this at least once in their lives. One of the best things you can do for you is to get support. When it comes to infertility you will feel alone. It seems like babies are everywhere when you are trying to get pregnant. It also seems that everyone else is having one but you. This can make you isolate yourself from friends, family, and even the general public.
You need to start the healing process by first stepping back and taking care of yourself. Joining an infertility support group online or in person is one of the best things you can do for you. Being around like minded people who are going through what you are can make you feel less isolated and alone. You also will want to try to be as healthy physically as you can be. Doctors have proven that emotional wellbeing and physical health can lead to a hard time falling pregnant. The last thing you want to do is compromise your situation more than it already is. Maintain a healthy weight, eat right, and exercise regularly. This will help you physically as well as emotionally.
Medical Diagnosis
The next step when dealing with infertility is diagnosis. This can be the most stressful part of the process. Many people are not offered insurance that covers infertility. This means large medical bills that can be just as devastating as the infertility itself. There are doctors more qualified to help couples who are facing infertility, than the regular obstetrics and gynecology physician. There is a benefit to getting testing done with your regular OB/GYN first. It can be coded to your insurance as irregular periods or female issues. This can help you get some form of diagnosis prior to seeking out treatment.
The most common type of diagnostic testing is semen analysis for men and cycle day three hormone testing for women. The main reason both couple should get tested is that you want to not take any medication that will not do any good. The most common form of infertility revolves around sperm. This test is relatively cheap, even if your insurance does not cover it. It is also the easiest test to perform, as it is non-invasive.
For us gals, we need to have our blood drawn on cycle day 3 of our cycles. This will test for progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, thyroid, prolactin, and DHEA-S. These hormones have to be at the right levels in order to make a good egg that is capable of being fertilized. This is the best way to find out if you have any hormonal issues, such as PCOS, hypo or hyperthyroidism, or high prolactin. All of these can stop you from ovulating. If you do not ovulate, you cannot get pregnant. Using a basal body thermometer will help you to see on your own if ovulation is occurring or not.
Treatment Options
Depending on what diagnosis you are given, the treatment can vary. It can also vary among people with the same diagnosis. There are men with low sperm count that can still have timed intercourse and impregnate their partners, while others will have to IUI or IVF to get a viable pregnancy. It all depends on how low and motility each man is dealing with. Some men simply can stop some medications or take medications such as Clomid to raise their count over the course of 3 months or more.
For women, the diagnosis range can still vary within the same disorder. For women with PCOS, many will regain their fertility with only Metformin – the medication for PCOS – alone. Other women will also need to use Clomid or Femera to stimulate a strong enough ovulation. Then there are women who need injections to help them make enough eggs for timed sex, IUI, or IVF. Women with endometriosis can also range in treatment. Some can simply have a D&C – dilation and curettage – and then be fine for up to a year. Other women have to go on medication that puts them in menopause for a bit to clear it up. Then they have to take ovulation stimulation medication to get pregnant.
No matter what you get diagnosed with, there are many types of treatments that can help. Whether you need IUI or IVF, it does not matter. The medical technology can help you become the parent you want to become in most cases.