I’ve been trying to have a baby for two years. Am I infertile?

Well, I hope you haven’t been trying by yourself. It takes two to make a baby and after trying for six months, it’s time for the man to have a semen analysis.

It’s also simple to check that the woman is ovulating – by doing a blood test (on day 21 of a 28-day cycle) to measure the level of progesterone.

About 80% of couples will conceive within one year of regular/frequent unprotected sexual intercourse. So you don’t want to launch into more intensive and invasive investigation until that time is up. Of course, if you do find a problem with the sperm count or with ovulation, it’s worth getting further advice at that stage.

Most women referred to a fertility clinic with ovulation problems have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This is strongly linked to increased visceral fat and the metabolic syndrome.

In many cases, losing abdominal fat and reducing insulin resistance will restore fertility.

 

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