When to see a fertility specialist

Healthy women unsuccessful in conceiving after several months of unprotected sex should consider getting help from a specialist, U.S. fertility experts said. Dr. Eric A. Widra, Dr. Anitha S. Nair and Dr. Barbara H. Osborn, all board-certified reproductive endocrinologists at Shady Grove Fertility Center in Rockville, Md., said some women are uncertain when it is appropriate to consult fertility experts. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine's guidelines recommend women age 35 and under consult with a fertility specialist after one year of unsuccessfully trying to conceive, while those 35 or older should schedule a consultation after six months. However, for women age 40 and older, a consultation with a fertility specialist is highly recommended as soon as possible, Widra said. "There are now fertility treatments to help almost everyone conceive, including a range of low-tech and high-tech options such as Clomid, intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization and donor egg," Widra said in a statement. "These treatments are very effective in overcoming most diagnoses such as annovulation, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, blocked fallopian tubes, unexplained infertility, recurrent miscarriages or male factor infertility, to name only a few."