Why am I not getting pregnant?
1 in 6 couples have difficulty becoming pregnant when they start trying to conceive. Infertility is defined as a couple not conceiving after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse for those under 35 years of age and six months for those aged 35 years and older.
For the optimal chance of conceiving, you should be having unprotected sex every two to three days, in the lead up to ovulation. This ensures that sperm are present in the fallopian tubes, ready to fertilise the egg as soon as it’s released from the ovary.
To ensure you’re having intercourse at the right time you will need to understand your fertile window, or the time of month at which your body ovulates.
A woman will usually ovulate between 8 – 14 days after the first day of her last period. However, every woman’s cycle is different. To better understand when you’re ovulating, you can keep track of changes in your body. For example, vaginal discharge becomes wet and slippery, similar to that of a raw egg white, just before ovulation. It is important to match these physical signs of ovulation with a thorough understanding of your cycle to ensure you’re giving yourself the best chance of conception.
Why can’t we fall pregnant?
There are many reasons why couples may have trouble conceiving, with the number one factor being a woman’s age. Secondly, it is a male factor contributing to infertility. However, it is usually a combination of factors that contribute to the cause of the infertility.
In approximately 30% of cases, ‘female’ factors such as tubal disease, ovulatory disorders (like PCOS) or endometriosis may be the cause. In the same percentage of cases, ‘male’ factors, such as low sperm count or tubal blockages affect conception. In another 30% of cases, a combination of both female and male factors may be at play.
For women, their reproductive system and menstrual cycle directly affect their ability to conceive. In order to become pregnant a woman needs to:
- Ovulate regularly (have a regular menstrual cycle)
- Produce oestrogen and progesterone
- Have the correct pelvic environment in the uterus (no blockages in the fallopian tubes or uterine abnormalities), and
- Have a receptive endometrial lining for implantation.
In order for his partner to become pregnant, a man needs to:
- Produce sperm with a normal number, motility (movement) and morphology (shape)
- Produce male hormone, and
- Have no blockages to sperm transport.
One, or more, problems in the above areas will have an impact on your ability to conceive naturally and influence the type of fertility treatment you require.
Sometimes, despite the constant advances made in science and medicine, infertility simply cannot be explained. ‘Unexplained infertility’ affects approximately 10% of infertile couples. While there is no obvious cause of infertility, it is reassuring for these couples to know that they have a higher success rate when undergoing fertility treatment.
When should we seek help?
Doctors advise that couples should seek advice after 12 months of trying if the female is under 35, or just 6 months if the female partner is aged 36 or older. If you know or suspect that female or male factors may be affecting your chance of falling pregnant, it is recommended that you seek expert advice sooner than this.
Seeking fertility advice does not necessarily mean that you are infertile, or that you will need to undergo IVF treatment, but for peace of mind it is wise to have some tests done with our expert fertility team. Your fertility specialist at IVF(SG) will discuss your results with you, and will recommend the most effective treatment option for you to maximise your chance of conception.
A woman’s age significantly impacts her chance of conception, both naturally and through fertility treatments, including IVF. Whilst most fertility issues can be solved with the correct treatment, the deterioration of a woman’s egg quality with age is not one of them.
How much does an IVF fertility assessment cost?
Whether you are just starting your IVF journey or have undergone IVF treatment elsewhere, a fertility assessment is essential, so our fertility specialists have a complete understanding of your unique individual circumstances. If you have comprehensive, current female and male fertility assessments (less than 6 months old), then you may not require additional assessment at IVF(SG). Our helpful IVF(SG) staff will assist in determining if additional fertility assessment is required prior to your consultation.
If you’re new to the fertility journey and have not undergone a fertility assessment, then this will need to be done ahead of consultation with one of the fertility specialists.
IVF(SG) offers couples fertility assessment at $380. This covers blood screening and pelvic ultrasound for female patients and semen analysis for males. Our fertility nurses will help arrange for a fertility assessment to be carried out before your first consultation.
