{"id":8923,"date":"2016-05-20T09:38:34","date_gmt":"2016-05-20T09:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pamap.accessfertility.com\/ie\/2016\/05\/20\/how-long-should-i-keep-trying-for-a-baby\/"},"modified":"2016-05-20T09:38:34","modified_gmt":"2016-05-20T09:38:34","slug":"how-long-should-i-keep-trying-for-a-baby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.accessfertility.com\/ie\/how-long-should-i-keep-trying-for-a-baby\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Should I Keep Trying For A Baby?"},"content":{"rendered":"
For many people trying to conceive is the most frustrating period of their fertility journey. Well-meaning friends and family will offer words of encouragement and advice such as \u2018this is the fun part\u2019 or \u2018just relax\u2019. Little do they know one in six couples now face problems trying to conceive. For these couples it can be really confusing to know how long is too long and when they should seek a medical opinion, or second opinion, if they have concerns about their fertility.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve asked a top US fertility doctor, Ricardo A. Yazigi of Shady Grove Fertility, some of your questions about trying to conceive.<\/p>\n
The basic advice is that out of 100 fertile couples, about 50% will have conceived after six to seven months of regular sexual activity. The remainder will conceive within one year\u2019s time.<\/p>\n
This guideline is based on two things:<\/p>\n
Age has a large impact on fertility, particularly in women as it affects the quality of their eggs. As a result, the year guideline for fertile couples drops as people age.<\/p>\n
Often couples will make a conscious decision that they want to start a family and decide that is the day they started to try and conceive. The reality is a woman having regular unprotected intercourse is effectively \u2018trying to conceive\u2019 whether she realises it or not. It is important to understand that the definition of trying to conceive does not mention frequency or timing of intercourse it simply means having unprotected intercourse.<\/p>\n
Understanding the basics of ovulation and conception are key to knowing when you are most likely to get pregnant.<\/p>\n
With the age guidelines and an understanding of the ovulation process couples can gauge how often they should be having unprotected intercourse. Generally, a fertile couple will get pregnant within 7 months if they have intercourse once or twice a week. For couples who have intercourse less frequently, it is better to have intercourse every other day around ovulation. Daily intercourse is not necessary and can add strain to a relationship.<\/p>\n
Couples should discuss their fertility with their GP any time they have a concern. In terms of seeing a specialist, they should follow the age guidelines set out here.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to remember these guidelines are based on fertile women with regular periods, so if a woman has irregular periods, or none at all, they should see a fertility specialist. They should also see a specialist if they have had two or more miscarriages.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to have realistic expectations when trying to conceive naturally. Now that you understand the basics about ovulation and how long you should try naturally you will be better equipped to decide when and if it is appropriate to seek a medical consultation. Having a clear timeframe in mind can also help reduce stress between couples. The independent IVF regulator in the UK, the HFEA, has lifestyle tips<\/a> for people trying to have a baby which you may want to look at.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For many people trying to conceive is the most frustrating period of their fertility journey. Well-meaning friends and family will offer words of encouragement and advice such as \u2018this is the fun part\u2019 or \u2018just relax\u2019. Little do they know one in six couples now face problems trying to conceive. For these couples it can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fertility"],"yoast_head":"\n