TTC, When should we get help?

by Mirrin Reagan, RN, CNS, WHNP, MSN

"Is it crazy to see a specialist when we've only been trying for 8 months?"

"I have no idea when I ovulate - my periods are so unpredictable since I stopped the pill.  Should we see a specialist just to help with timing???"

"We haven't even started trying yet, but I'm turning 40 next month and I'm worried about our chances."

Nearly all subfertile couples will worry about these issues when deciding when to seek help from an infertility specialist.  Believe it or not – there are some simple answers. If you are under 35 years old and have been trying for one year or more, you should seek help. If you are over 35 and have been trying for 6 months or more, you should seek help. There are some situations when you should see a specialist even sooner.

• If either partner has ever been through cancer treatment.

• If either partner has had a vasectomy or had her “tubes tied.”

• If the female partner has infrequent or no spontaneous periods.

• If the male partner is taking testosterone or a medicine for high blood pressure called a “Calcium Channel Blocker” - both of these medications can drastically lower sperm count.

• If your gynecologist has ever told you that you may have difficulty getting pregnant.

• If you are getting pregnant but having recurrent miscarriages.

 “We aren't ready to do IVF even though we've been trying to get pregnant for two years. Should we even bother seeing a specialist?”

 One big misconception is that if you decide to see a fertility specialist you will probably have to do In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Actually, approximately 75% of all patients seeking treatment with a Reproductive Endocrinologist will begin with simple treatments like Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). At ACRM, approximately 25-30% of our patients become pregnant with less invasive treatments including IUI.

If you're wondering if you should be seeing an infertility specialist now, go ahead and schedule a consultation with a Reproductive Endocrinologist to find out what you may could do own your own to increase your chances of pregnancy or what the specialist would recommend next on your journey to growing your family.  

 Mirrin Reagan, Director of Clinical Services, joined ACRM in 2003.  She received her undergraduate degree in nursing at Emory University and completed her graduate training at Georgia State University where she received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in a dual degree program as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Perinatology and a Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) in Women's Health.  She is a board certified Nurse Practitioner and licensed in the State of Georgia. 

Mirrin is a member of the RESOLVE National Nurses Advisory Board and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Nurses Professional Group.  She is also adjunct faculty and a clinical preceptor in the graduate program at Emory University's School of Nursing.