When should I consult an infertility specialist?

“Pregnancy, having a life growing inside you, is the most powerful creation of nature.”- Beyoncé

For the couples planning for pregnancy, the commonest concern is regarding the chances of conceiving in a given cycle. The chance of achieving pregnancy in a particular month varies between 15-25%. There can be many variables that may influence the time to achieve pregnancy and an average duration may range from 5 to 10 months.

Pregnancy is a great miracle of nature and involves two complex process, firstly ‘fertilization” that is meeting of female egg with male gamete at essentially right time and place after a long journey of sperms from vaginal canal to outer third of fallopian tube.
The second process is “implantation” in which the fertilized egg travels from tube to nest in the inner lining of uterus.
The monthly probability of achieving pregnancy termed as fecundability is highly variable among couples as:
1-Fertilization is probable only during two days around ovulation.
2- A major proportion of fertilized eggs either fail to implant or get aborted spontaneously during first two weeks that is around expected menses.
Inability to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse is termed as infertility and has a prevalence of 1 in every 6 couples. Research suggests that there has been 20-30% rise in last 5 years attributable to late age of conception, stress, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits and pollution.
The following tips are suggested to improve fertility:

1. Respect biological age as quantity and quality of eggs rapidly decline after 30 years of age.
2. Maintain healthy weight and life style.
3. Aim to eat healthy balanced diet
4. Avoid stress, smoking, infection and alcohol.

Considering the mentioned facts and variability of a couple’s ability to conceive, it is advisable for couples planning to conceive to proactively consult a gynaecologist to get the customized information and knowledge to improve their chances of getting healthy pregnancy and baby in desired time for an enjoyable parenthood journey.