What should I do when pregnancy doesn't happen?
This situation can cause stress, worry, and even frustration for many women who often see all their friends getting pregnant while they don't. Dr. Sofia Gaggiotti Marre, a specialist in Reproductive Medicine at the Fundació Puigvert-Hospital de Sant Pau, explains how to cope with this situation in the following article.
What to do when pregnancy doesn't happen?
First of all, stay calm. There can be many factors that explain why you're not getting pregnant.
The World Health Organization defines infertility as the difficulty in achieving pregnancy after 12 months or more of unprotected sexual intercourse.
How often should we have sex?
The frequency and quality of sexual relations is an important factor to consider. While the World Health Organization recommends an average of 2-3 times per week for couples trying to conceive, we very often find couples having sex between 1 and 3 times per month, even when trying to get pregnant. Although there is no single frequency that guarantees pregnancy, a higher frequency is recommended, especially during ovulation.
It should also be taken into account that the semen quality It decreases after more than 5 days of abstinence.
Factors such as stress, tiredness, frustration, or pressure to conceive can hinder the frequency and quality of sexual relations, further complicating the chances of a spontaneous pregnancy.
Why do all my friends get pregnant right away?
We shouldn't believe everything we hear from friends, neighbors, or people we work with or socialize with. Unfortunately, infertility remains a taboo subject for many, so many people feel more comfortable hiding how they conceived and how long it took them.
In Spain, approximately 36,000 children are born each year through assisted reproductive technologies, representing about 91% of all births. Don't you think it's possible that one of those births could be someone you know?
When should I consult with a specialist?
We recommend consulting with a gynecologist specializing in assisted reproduction after 12 months of seeking pregnancy in women under 35 years of age and after 6 months search in women over 35 years old.
A woman's age is related to the likelihood of success, both with spontaneous pregnancy and pregnancy achieved through assisted reproductive technologies. That's why a consultation is recommended earlier for women over 35.
In turn, couples with some risk factor Couples with conditions that may be associated with infertility (pelvic surgery, endometriosis, testicular surgery, previous chemotherapy, etc.) should consult after 6 months of unsuccessful trying, regardless of the couple's age.
What tests can I take to find out if everything is okay?
Any test you wish to undergo is recommended only if requested by a professional specializing in assisted reproduction, as it is not advisable to undergo multiple tests that are not useful or that have to be repeated due to lack of information or incorrect determination.
In general, the basic tests we usually request from a couple consulting for infertility are:
- General blood test and determination of the anti-Müllerian hormone for women (AMH)
- Semen analysis (Seminogram)
- Transvaginal ultrasound
What is Anti-Müllerian Hormone and what is it used for?
This anti-Müllerian hormone, along with the antral follicle count (performed via transvaginal ultrasound), gives us an indication of a woman's ovarian reserve at that point in her life. In other words, it helps us determine how full the egg stores are in her ovaries.
It does not tell us whether the couple is more or less fertile, since we only know this through sexual practice and reproductive success.
Therefore, if there is no fertility problem or decision to undergo assisted reproduction treatment or egg freezing, it is not necessary to determine the anti-Müllerian hormone in a generalized way for all women.
What is the difference between infertility and sterility?
Infertility is the inability to carry a pregnancy to term, that is, to have a live birth. Sterility, on the other hand, is the difficulty in achieving pregnancy after 12 months or more of unprotected sexual intercourse.
Recurrent miscarriages: what can I do?
There is no consensus on the number of miscarriages that justifies initiating a study, so each couple should be assessed individually, taking into account the woman's age, the circumstances surrounding the early pregnancy loss, personal and family history, and the couple's anxiety. Generally speaking, initiating the study could be considered. after two or more abortions.
What are the causes of recurrent miscarriages?
Half the time, we can't find a cause to explain them.
In other cases, the cause may be genetic (chromosomal alterations of the parents or of 'de novo' appearance in the embryo) or an antiphospholipid syndrome (related to an alteration of maternal blood clotting) or other less frequent causes that explain them.
Article reviewed by Carlos Dosouto
