How usual is it to have problems conceiving?

80% of couples who have regular sexual intercourse (that is, every two to three days) and who do not use contraception will get pregnant within a year. The majority of the remaining 20% achieve a pregnancy within two years of trying. An estimated one in seven couples has difficulty conceiving. There are several possible reasons why it may not be happening naturally. In men, a fertility problem is usually because of low numbers or poor quality of sperm. Women become less fertile as they get older. For women aged 35, about 95% who have regular unprotected sexual intercourse will get pregnant after three years of trying. For women aged 38, only 75 % will do so. The effect of age upon men's fertility is less clear. Your lifestyle can affect your chances of conceiving, particularly if you are a heavy smoker and are significantly over- or underweight. Problems affecting women include damage to the fallopian tubes and endometriosis and erratic or absent ovulation. Sometimes infertility problems can be due to a combination of factors. In a third of cases, a clear cause is never established.

Where can I get help?

If you have not been able to get pregnant after two years of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse, either one or both of you may have a fertility problem. However, you don't need to wait that long to seek help. If you are concerned about not being pregnant, see your GP, who can take a medical history, give you a physical examination and may recommend some tests or lifestyle changes. If you have been trying to get pregnant for over a year, you should also be offered a test to check that you are ovulating and your partner should be offered tests to check his sperm. If these tests don't reveal a problem, you should be offered further tests to check that your fallopian tubes are not blocked. If one or both of you have a condition that affects fertility you may be offered these tests sooner.

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