When should I see a fertility specialist?
Infertility is defined as being unable to fall pregnant after:
- 12 months of regular unprotected sex if you’re under 35
- 6 months if you’re over 35.
When to see a fertility specialist straight away
Females
For females, see your fertility specialist if you’ve been diagnosed with or treated for:
- irregular or absent periods
- PCOS or endometriosis
- tubal damage (or previous tubal ligation surgery)
- recurrent miscarriage
- premature menopause
- known genetic concerns.
Males
For males, see your fertility specialist if you’ve been diagnosed with:
- low sperm count
- poor sperm shape (morphology) or movement (motility)
- antisperm antibodies
- ejaculatory concerns
- absence of sperm (azoospermia)
- known genetic concerns
- issues from a prior vasectomy.
Making an appointment
You need to make an appointment to see a fertility specialist near you.
What are the first steps?
Your fertility specialist will start with a review of your general health and medical history, before deciding on which routine test or procedures are appropriate.
For females, tests may include:
- pelvic ultrasound
- a blood tests on day 2-5 of your cycle to measureFollicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), Prolactin
- screening for HIV, Hep B and Hep C (blood test).
- Rubella (German measles) and varicella (chickenpox) immunity (blood test)
- ovarian reserve blood test.
For males, tests may include:
- semen analysis to check for sperm antibodies and possible infections
- screening for HIV, Hep B and Hep C (blood test).
Some men need to have 2 semen analyses.
