When Should I Talk to Someone About My Fertility?
When and how to access expert advice, either as an individual or as a couple can sometimes be confusing. There are many good reasons for wishing to discuss your fertility with a professional such as delay in conceiving, concern over your fertility prior to starting a family or potentially thinking to the future and how to best preserve your fertility.
In the UK approximately 1 in 7 couples have a delay in conceiving. Reassuringly approximately 80% of couples will conceive within 1 year of trying. It is therefore recommended investigations should be initiated after 1 year if the woman is aged <36 and has no known fertility issues or if the woman is aged over 36 or has known fertility issues then it should be after 6 months.
The main causes of subfertility are male factor 30%, ovulatory disorders 25%, tubal damage 20% and unexplained around 25%. Often there can be an overlap of both male and female factors so we would recommend attending for advice as a couple.
At your specialist consultation with our Consultant Gynaecologist in Orthoderm Private Clinic, we will explore your fertility journey to date, including past medical history, medications, BMI, smoking status and physical examination including a transvaginal ultrasound scan to assess your pelvic organs. Your Consultant Gynaecologist will discuss with you any prior investigations such as blood test results that you may have and may organise further tests, in particular, your AMH (blood test for ovarian reserve), thyroid function test and, if attending as a couple, a male semen analysis. With results of your investigations, we can then make recommendations on what treatment may suit you best.
We would recommend all women trying to conceive should try and maintain a healthy lifestyle including avoiding alcohol, stopping smoking and maintaining a healthy BMI. Additionally, all women should be taking folic acid 400mcg daily or those women who are higher risk taking a higher daily dose of 5mg daily. Vitamin D 10mcg daily is also recommended especially for women who have little exposure to natural sunlight or have a BMI above 30. At Orthoderm Private Clinic, we also have a specialist dietitian who can help with your dietary requirements from preconceptual planning through to the postnatal period.
For further reading we would recommend the HFEA and NICE websites where information from these government agencies is readily accessible in the patient information sections.
Written by Dr Andrew Knox, Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician.
To book an appointment with Dr Andrew Knox, our Fertility specialist, or any of our Women’s Health Team, call us on 028 9268 0940 or email appointments@orthoderm.co.uk .