When you’re ready to start a family and pregnancy doesn’t happen as expected, the experience can feel frustrating, emotional, and even isolating. Despite doing everything right—timing intercourse during your fertile window, tracking ovulation, and taking prenatal vitamins—conception may still not occur right away.
According to Dr. Chantel Cross, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at Johns Hopkins Fertility Center, many factors can affect fertility. These may include age, hormone levels, irregular menstrual cycles, underlying medical conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis, lifestyle habits, and even stress.
Infertility is defined as the inability to get pregnant after one year of regular, unprotected sex (or after six months if the woman is over 35). It can affect both women and men equally, and often, both partners are evaluated to determine the cause.
If you’re trying to conceive and it’s taking longer than expected, it’s important to speak with a fertility specialist. Early evaluation and intervention can increase your chances of becoming pregnant and help you take control of your reproductive health.
