Fertility Testing Before Trying

Question

Do any of you think that all this baby dancing and ovulation tracking and so on would be a whole lot easier and relaxed if doctors would not make you wait a year to check and make sure you are fertiley sound? I think that half my stress is not knowing if we are trying in vain, if we really CAN get pregnant. Do any of you first timers out there feel similar?

Answer 1

The basic problem here is that fertility testing is EXPENSIVE, and since the great majority of couples DON'T have fertility issues, routinely testing everyone would greatly increase everyone else's insurance costs.

If you have some good reason to suspect infertility (history of PID, rare/erratic periods, endometriosis) by all means see your doctor if you've been trying without success for a few months.  But if all seems normal, give your body a chance to work in the normal way. Maybe throw out the OPKs and charts and just have s*x when you feel like it.  Women managed to get pregnant pretty reliably for quite a few millenia before OPKs hit the market.

(I had very irregular periods, so started charting my BBT from the start -- figuring I wouldn't know when I WAS pregnant if I didn't chart.  After 3-4 months of charting showed NO ovulation, I went to see the doctor. He didn't make me wait a full year since it was clear that I wasn't ovulating at all. Further tests diagnosed PCOS, and I began treatment. Two years later, I got pregnant.)

EDIT: Endometriosis would probably be symptomatic.  If you're really worried about hubby's sperm count, and are willing to pay out-of-pocket for a test, I'm sure the doctor will be happy to oblige.

Answer 2

i totally agree with you, i mean how are we supposed to know if our partners sperm are swimming the right way??

i think many couples panic so much wen ttc that this extra pressure does not help matters, also there may be some problems that could be avoided with early detection.

good luck hun

still trying for no.1

Answer 3

When we were TTC #1, I was charting my temps and knew after 3 months that I was not ovulating based on my temps.  I went immediately to the OB/GYN with my charts and they started tests and treatments right away.  The more you can take control of your own fertility and stay informed and educated, the more you can be involved in your own care instead of at the mercy of the doctor.  Good luck!

Answer 4

Nope.  I think tracking ovulation through cervical mucus is an incredibly easy and accurate way to know when you ovulate.  We've used it for our first and second, and natural family planning.  Got pregnant the first month the first time around, and the third month the second time around.

I just think that some women need to pay more attention to their bodies' subtle signals.

But it's probably just me, lol.  It was easy for us.

Answer 5

Haven't tried yet, but that's a really good point. There should be testing available right away just to make sure you're not wasting valuable time!

Answer 6

I agree wholeheartedly. My ultrasound and HSG showed uterine polyps, which can act as an IUD but often have no other symptoms. If I had known about these last year, I could have done something sooner. None of this showed up with charting or in any of my blood work.

Good luck to you.