Testing and Diagnosis

If you and your partner have been having trouble getting pregnant, it's possible that one or both of you has a medically treatable fertility problem. As you decide whether to look for a cause, you will have various medical and personal questions to consider. Together, you can use this Decision Point to guide your thinking. It offers basic facts about infertility, testing, and when testing is appropriate. You can also use it to define your personal goals, feelings, and values about infertility testing and treatment.

Consider the following when making your decision:

• If you are younger than 30 and trying to conceive, most doctors recommend well-timed intercourse for at least a year before considering testing and treatment.
• If you (woman) are closer to 35, it's reasonable for both you and your partner to consider testing for treatable causes of infertility sooner, before age-related factors make it too difficult to conceive.
• Infertility testing and treatment can be difficult, sometimes traumatic, and expensive. Before starting infertility testing together, discuss how far you would be willing to go with testing and treatment. Only have testing for conditions that you are willing and financially able to have treated or that would help you move on to other options such as adoption.
• Prolonged infertility testing and treatment can intensify the stress of infertility. If you are becoming overly stressed or your relationship is suffering, ask your doctor to recommend a professional counselor who can help you get through this crisis together.
• As a couple, you have the final word on how to use your infertility