17 Oct Why Turn to a Fertility Specialist?
There’s a pervading American ideal that says you can overcome any obstacle by yourself. If you just pull up your bootstraps, roll up your sleeves, and get to work, you can do what needs to be done to solve any problem you encounter without outside help. It’s the American way.
People who are experiencing fertility problems are especially likely to fall prey to this ideal and spend a lot of time trying to solve the problem on their own. Too many couples say, “We’ll just try again next month.” Common inhibitions include:
- It’s a very personal problem. You often don’t even want to discuss it with your best friends or your family. It is especially hard if you feel pressure from your family to conceive.
- You’re not even sure it’s a problem. Didn’t you read somewhere that getting pregnant is supposed to take several months? Who says a few extra months isn’t normal too?
- You really don’t want someone to tell you you’re doing something wrong, which would be embarrassing.
- You’ve spent so much of your life trying not to get pregnant that now, when you’re ready, you can’t believe it won’t just happen.
Help Yourself
Our advice is to get over any shyness you have about this issue. Remember, solving a problem by yourself often involves educating yourself and asking professionals for help when it’s needed. It can be a huge relief to talk to a fertility specialist who understands what you’re going through.
So here’s the scoop. If you’re in your 20s, you should seek help if you’ve been having unprotected sex for one year without conceiving. If you’re over 30, seek help if you haven’t got pregnant in 6 months. Why is the time limit so much shorter if you’re older? It’s because after you reach 30, age becomes another barrier to fertility. The older you get, the stronger this factor becomes.
Talk to Us
If you’re not sure you have a problem, consult your personal physician first. There are many causes of infertility, and health-related reasons are common. You should know, however, that your personal physician may not be able to solve your infertility, or fully understand the underlying issues. So don’t hesitate to contact a fertility specialist. San Diego fertility clinics offer services you can’t get from your physician’s office.
After an exam and a review of your medical history at a consultation, you and your fertility physician will develop a treatment plan. The goal of the plan is two-fold: first, to help you conceive a healthy baby and second, to make the best use of your resources—not just financial, but also emotional and temporal. That’s another reason to seek the advice of a fertility specialist if you are over 30. Time is working against you.