If no method seems to work for you, put an end to the agonizing frustration and plan a visit to a doctor. The doctor will probably put you through fertility tests and scans to pinpoint and treat the problem. You don’t need to wait that long to seek help.

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.

Fertility Tests For Women

• Cervical smear test if you haven’t had one recently.
• Urine test for chlamydia, which can block your fallopian tubes, preventing you from becoming pregnant.
• Blood test to see if you are ovulating. This is done by measuring progesterone in a blood sample taken  seven days before your period is due.
• Blood test to check for German measles (Rubella) which, if contracted during the first three months of pregnancy, can harm your unborn baby.
• Blood test during your period to check for hormone imbalances –measurement of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone, LH (luteinising hormone) and oestradiol. This test can also identify possible early menopause as a cause of subfertility.

Fertility Tests For Men

• Sperm test to check for abnormalities.
• Urine test for chlamydia, which, in addition to being a known cause of infertility in women, can also affect sperm function and male fertility.