Step 1: TRYING

To give yourselves the best chance of having a baby you should be having unprotected vaginal intercourse approximately every 2 to 3 days. You have a much better chance of achieving pregnancy by having sexual relations during the female partner’s fertile phase, at the time of or just prior to ovulation.
Some people may wish to time their intercourse to coincide with ovulation, however you should be aware that this can cause stress and you should discuss this with your doctor or support group.
The best way to calculate the time of your ovulation, if you are having regular cycles (regardless of the length of the cycle), is by subtracting 14 days from your average cycle length. You should have intercourse from 3 or 4 days prior to that day in your cycle in order to maximize your chance of achieving a pregnancy. If the female partner has irregular periods making it difficult to determine the fertile phase, ovulation kits can be purchased from your local pharmacist to overcome this problem.
Live a healthy life with a balanced diet and regular exercise and give up or at least reduce your use of cigarettes, alcohol and illicit drugs. Relax and be confident in the fact that more than 80% of couples get pregnant within the first 12 to 18 months.

How long should you try?

If you have no medical problems and the woman is under 35 years of age, you should see your doctor after trying for 12 months.
If the woman is over 35 years of age you should see your doctor after trying for 6 months.

What doctor should we see?

You should first consult your family doctor or gynaecologist.

Questions to ask at this stage

Are we having intercourse at the right time of the month?
How long should we try before seeing a doctor for tests?
Is there anything we should change about our lifestyle?
Could over-exercise or stress be adversely affecting our efforts?
Could being underweight or overweight affect our efforts?
Who can I discuss my concerns with in addition to my partner?

Back to main menu

^{The information provided in this article was adapted from THE ACT PATHWAY BOOKLET developed by The Assisted Conception Taskforce (ACT). ACT is an international group of healthcare professionals and patient representatives from 17 countries with a specialist interest/expertise in conception difficulties. ACT aims to provide education, advice and support to couples experiencing conception difficulties by raising awareness of the issue. ACT has been supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Merck Serono S.A. Find information on ACT initiatives at www.assistedconception.net}

Vagina

The muscular opening through which sperm travels in order to reach an egg. The vagina also serves as a passage for menstrual flow and secretions, which may assist or obstruct sperm in their journey to fertilizing an egg.

Varicocele

The presence of varicose veins around the testicles caused by poor circulation. The increase in blood leads to a rise in the temperature in the testicles. This causes abnormal testosterone levels, which hinder the production of sperm.

Vas deferens

A long curving tube that forms part of the sperm storage and transport system.

Obstetrician/Gynaecologist

A doctor who delivers babies and specialises in the treatment of female reproductive organs.

Oestrogen

A hormone that stimulates secondary female sexual characteristics and controls the course of the menstrual cycle. Oestrogen is also produced in low quantities in males.

Oligospermia

A condition when a sperm sample contains less than 20 million spermatozoa per ejaculate. Many medical conditions reduce sperm concentration. The effects may be temporary or permanent. See also Azoospermia.

Outpatient

A Person undergoing a clinical procedure that does not require admission to hospital.

Ovarian failure

The failure of the ovary to respond to hormonal stimulation from the pituitary gland because of damage to or malformation of the ovary, or a chronic disease such as autoimmune disease or ageing process.

Ovarian follicle

The structure in which eggs are nurtured to maturation. Although in general only one egg is released at a time, somewhere between 10 and 20 follicles begin the process of maturation monthly. The excess ovarian follicles are reabsorbed before ovulation occurs.

Ovulation

The release of the matured egg or ovum from the ovarian follicle.

Ovum

A matured egg.

Ovulation Induction (OI)

Medical treatment carried out to initiate ovulation.

Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome

A condition characterised by enlargement of the ovaries, fluid-retention and weight gain. May occur when the ovaries are over-stimulated during assisted reproduction.

Ovaries, Ovary

Almond-sized organ(s) located on either side of the uterus, which produce and release mature egg cells and the hormones oestrogen and progesterone.

Cervical mucus

A natural lubricant produced by the female body that aids the transportation of sperm and helps protect against infection.

Cervix

The cervix or neck of the uterus is the lower, narrow portion of the uterus where it joins with the top end of the vagina.

Chlamydia

A sexually-transmitted infection, which may be asymptomatic or cause genital inflammation and discharge, pelvic pain and fever. Untreated, chlamydia can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and fertility problems.

Chromosomes

Structures found in the nucleus of cells that contain genes and carry heredity information, such as eye colour, blood type and vulnerability to disease. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. One set of 23 chromosomes is inherited from the biological mother via her egg and the other from the biological father, via his sperm. Each sperm cell contains either male or female sex chromosomes. As such, it determines the gender of the foetus. Genetic abnormalities occur when an individual is born missing a chromosome or has more copies of a chromosomal pair.

Clomiphene citrate

A prescription drug used to bring on ovulation. It comes as a tablet and is often used as an initial treatment for women with ovulation problems. Clomiphene citrate induces ovulation in 80% of women who have trouble ovulating on their own.

Conception

The moment of fertilization when the sperm meets and penetrates the egg.

Congenital abnormalities

Physical abnormalities present at birth.

Corpus luteum

A hormone-secreting mass within the ovary that forms from the remains of a follicle each time an egg is released. The hormones it produces prepare the uterus for embryo implantation. If pregnancy does not occur, the mass is shed during menstruation.

Cryopreservation

A technique used to store human tissue at very low temperatures. Embryos that are not used in an ART cycle may be preserved in this way for future use. Also known as “Freezing”.

Cryptorchidism

A condition usually detected at birth or childhood whereby the testicles fail to descend. When a male foetus develops in the uterus, his testicles normally form inside his abdomen and descend into the scrotum shortly before birth. Undescended testicles usually descend themselves by the sixth month of life, but are unlikely to descend after this period of their own accord.

Next Steps

Social networking

Service Navigation