Our biology and its baby-making capabilities shouldn’t be a surprise when life gives the green light for reproduction, and we should feel confident talking with our medical professionals when the time comes, but it can often feel overwhelming or uncomfortable to ask in person. Show
Here are the top 10 questions about fertility I feel my patients are often hesitant to ask.1. Can I get pregnant? The answer is truly you don’t know until you actually conceive. We can do tests for many aspects—are you ovulating, are the tubes open, does the mucus in the cervix like your partner’s sperm? Does your partner have enough sperm? And all those questions can have positive results, and still one may not conceive. 2. What about freezing my eggs when I am young? Will that guarantee a baby later when I am older? The answer here is similar to the question above: You.don’t know until you try. So you can have lovely eggs retrieved and frozen but when they are unfrozen, there is a chance that they may not be able to be fertilized. So that’s why I am hesitant to reassure women that it’ll guarantee pregnancy in the future. The good news is yes, in general, it does work, but not 100% of the time. 3. How does age affect fertility? We are born with all our eggs and they get older with us, and alas harder to fertilize. Fertility starts to decline beyond age 35, not precipitously there, but substantially, with a more marked decline at age 40 or so. If a woman is under age 35, we encourage women to seek medical attention if she has been trying to conceive for a year or more and hasn’t been able to conceive. If a woman is 35 or older, we encourage her to check in with us after about 6 months of trying. 4. What can I do on my own, health-habits wise, to increase my fertility? There are a few tried and true ways to remain healthy. Try to achieve your ideal body weight as both being underweight and overweight can impact fertility. Stop smoking as it can age the ovaries, causing earlier menopause and can even increase the rate of SIDS in children. Limit your drinking and avoid drugs—a good habit to get into before conceiving. You can start taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acid—having folic acid on board when you conceive reduces the risk of a number of birth defects, including neural tube defects, like spina bifida. 5. What at-home tests can I do on my own? There are a couple that are very easy. You can pinpoint your ovulation with ovulation predictor kits, such as the First Response ovulation predictor kit. They’re very reliable and will guide you when to have sex with the most likelihood of success in conception. And if it looks like you are not ovulating, check in with your provider. You can also check up on your ovarian reserve at home to see how “zippy” your ovaries are (are there lots of eggs left?). These tests can serve as a guideline to how vigorous you should be acting on your fertility and when to speak with your doctor. 6. What specifically can men do to help with fertility? A few things could be helpful. If he is a big drinker, encourage him to take it easy since alcohol isn’t great for healthy sperm production. And if he loves to sit in a hot tub, you might “cool him down” as sperm don’t like hot temperatures. If you have concerns, he can also be tested to determine his sperm production. 7. If you are having problems as a couple conceiving, should you have your partner tested? Absolutely! About 50% of infertility is due to male factors and fortunately, it is really easy to test. They’ll collect a sperm sample by masturbation, and it’s off to the lab and you will get a quick answer. 8. How soon can I find out if I am pregnant? I wouldn’t test 10 minutes after having sex, but indeed, an early pregnancy detection test such as the First Response test, will turn positive as early as six days before the first day of the missed period (and to think of how long women had to wait in the past!). 9. If I am having problems conceiving, do I have to start IVF? Not necessarily. There are many simple medications that can help women ovulate, and if the fallopian tubes are blocked, sometimes even the test can detect that. There are various procedures that can help open the tubes so don’t fear that you are automatically in need of IVF. Speak to your doctor with about your specific concerns. 10. If I do need IVF, will it break the bank? Again, not necessarily. Many states mandate insurance coverage for infertility therapy so that depends on where you live and what kind of insurance you have. Do check with your provider who can give you the information you need. When you’re struggling to conceive, you may not know when it's time to see a doctor about your fertility. Once you do reach out, you may find that you’re not sure what questions you need to ask. Even if you feel unsure about meeting with a doctor, it’s important to check in with your physicians throughout your family planning journey. By sitting down with a doctor, you can put your uneasiness to rest and can address any fertility issues you may be dealing with, possibly before you even know there’s an issue. This post is designed to help you work
through this process and provides helpful questions you can ask during these appointments to maximize your chances of starting a family. The Preconception AppointmentThere are two big reasons to schedule a preconception appointment before you try to conceive:
To get the most out of a preconception appointment, you and your partner should both undergo basic physicals that look over your general physical and reproductive health. You should also answer your doctor’s questions as thoroughly as possible. By being honest and straightforward, you can help ensure that your doctor has the information they need to assist you. You should also gather any information about possible negative health or environmental factors you can address during your appointment. In many cases, outside factors can delay your conception efforts by causing subfertility issues. The sooner you address these possible factors, the better your chances of conceiving will be! Questions you can ask to help before you conceive include:
What questions should I ask my gynecologist when trying to conceive?8 questions to ask an OB-GYN. When should I stop using birth control? ... . Should I be taking prenatal vitamins? ... . Should I undergo any fertility tests? ... . How can I maximize my chances of getting pregnant? ... . How will my gynecological issues affect my pregnancy? ... . How will my other health conditions change during pregnancy?. Can my Obgyn tell me if I'm fertile?Your gynecologist can perform a preliminary fertility evaluation, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. A common problem for couples with fertility struggles is how to properly time intercourse with ovulation, says the National Infertility Association.
What tests should you have done before trying to get pregnant?Your doctor might test for illnesses such as:. Rubella, or German measles immunity.. Chickenpox immunity.. Hepatitis B immunity.. Herpes.. Other STDs (such as chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea). Thyroid problems (with a TSH test). Other conditions, such as toxoplasmosis and parvovirus B19 (also called fifth disease). What questions should I ask about fertility?6 Questions Everyone Should Ask Themselves About Their Fertility, Right Now. Do I want kids, and how many? ... . Should I freeze my eggs? ... . What can I do to protect my fertility right now? ... . Do I need medical testing? ... . Should I take prenatal vitamins? ... . What about my birth control?. |
Questions to ask your obgyn when trying to get pregnant
Related Posts
Copyright © 2024 ihoctot Inc.
