You could be on your way to the doctor hoping to figure out why you and your partner haven’t been able to get pregnant even though you’ve been trying for over a year. Or else you may still be delaying it because you’re not certain of what to expect. So, with this list of what you can expect at your first fertility consultation you have no reason to delay it any longer.

This is what the doctor will want to ask about.

• When did you start puberty? For the women, as much as you would probably not like to remember that day, you must try and recall when you started menstruating. Delayed or premature puberty could be signs of a problem.
• Any health issues you have at the moment or that you have had previously are important. Things that look minor may end up being essential pieces of information, so perhaps you should chat to your folks and ask about any childhood illnesses you had and go from there. Your fertility could have been influenced by the sickness, or by the medication for that illness.
• Have you ever had any surgical operations at all? Possibly check with your parents, they may recall things that you might not, such as having tonsils or teeth removed.
• Any regular medication (prescription or over-the-counter)? Have you used chronic medication in the past? Any supplements or vitamins?
• When was your earliest sexual encounter? Have you been with more than one sexual partner? Ever been infected with an STD? STDs could bring about infertility and if girls become sexually active before 18 years old their cervix health may also be affected.

For the ladies:

• Women only: How is your menstrual cycle? Predictable or irregular? Long or short? Very heavy or quite light bleeding? Bad cramps?
• About how many times a week do you do the baby dance? It’s clear that not doing it often enough could be a problem, but doing it too frequently can reduce the quantity of sperm.
• How does your sexual intercourse correlate with the woman’s fertile times? You must have sex at the right time of the month to conceive.
• Have you already had a baby or become pregnant before? It sounds like a weird thing to ask but sometimes couples do struggle after having had one child already. If you have suffered many miscarriages before then at least you know that conception is not the problem, and you have to work on keeping the pregnancy.
• Do you make use of lubricant? What lubricant do you prefer? Any other intimacy enhancing products? Another strange question, asked not because the doctor is merely inquisitive, but because some lubricants give the sperm a tough time.
• Do either of you have any sexual problems? Inability to reach orgasm? Vaginal dryness? Discomfort? Problems getting an erection? Yup, it becomes very delicate – but your doctor must know everything to make an accurate diagnosis.

The specialist will also possibly also enquire about your emotional wellbeing, which is a tough one, especially after that interrogation! Try to ensure that you have spoken about all this information with your partner before you arrive at the specialist. Finding out about your partner’s less than perfect past for the first time at the doctor’s office is not conducive to emotional stability!

Your doctor will most likely also do a thorough physical examination, which includes an internal for the ladies. It could seem like lots to deal with all at once, but it’s helpful to try and remember that the specialist only wants to do what’s best for you, and that internal exams are part of the deal. Do your best to get used to it – you’ll have to go through at least a few more when you eventually do conceive.

Depending on your answers to these enquiries, the specialist could require you to have some infertility tests done. For the men this includes a semen analysis, and for the ladies, a pap smear. Both partners may require ultrasound scanning, STD checks or blood tests. Ladies might also need a laparoscopy or hysterosalpingogram to verify any structural difficulties.

That wasn’t too bad was it? It was? I realize that having an virtual stranger ask you details about your sexual and medical life history is a nightmare, not to mention the assorted pokings and proddings as well. Just keep bringing to mind what your goal is – a little one of your own! That might help bring things into perspective.

Here is more information on Infertility Costs. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Infertility.

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