Understanding Infertility
What is Infertility?
Infertility is defined as 1 year of unprotected intercourse without conception. Fertility in women peaks between age of 20 and 24, decreases relatively little until approximate age 30 to 32 and then declines progressively more rapidly after age of 40. This age related decline in female fertility can be attributed largely to progressive follicular depletion and a high incidence of abnormalities in aging oocytes.
When to see a fertility specialist?
After 1 year of trying to get pregnant on your own. But if the patient is young and there is no other medical illness you might try on your own for another 6 months before coming to us. If the female age is more than 35 years, you have irregular menstrual Cycles, Pelvic Inflammatory disease (Pelvic Infections), endometriosis or Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome or any other known risk factor than you should seek medical help without waiting for a year of trying for conception.
What is a fertile period?
Ovulation usually occurs 14 days before the next periods come. For example in a cycle of 28 days length, ovulation occurs on day 14. Starting first day of periods as day 1. Normal sperms can survive in the female reproductive tract for at least 3 days but oocytes can be successfully fertilized for only approximately 12-24 hours after it is released. So the least fertility advice would be to have sex on the day of ovulation, or the day before ovulation (or both).
What is Ovulation?
Ovulation is the release of mature egg from the ovary. After ovulation mature egg moves into the fallopian tubes, where it is available to be fertilized. In case the egg is not fertilized, than the lining of the uterus, which is initially thickened to prepare for fertilization, will be shed off which results in menstruations.