For 1 in 7 couples in the UK, falling pregnant is not as easy as it seems. Women spend most of their early adult years avoiding getting pregnant, only to find it takes much longer than expected by the time they reach their early to mid 30’s. Finding out about fertility problems earlier is so important, as the longer women have to seek treatment the higher their chances of getting pregnant.



There are recognised medical conditions that are known to affect fertility:

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

This condition - where a woman's ovaries contain a large number of little cysts - cause hormonal imbalances and makes it difficult for eggs to be released. This causes irregular periods, weight gain, hair growth on the body and acne. If you suffer from PCOS talk to your GP for suitable treatments - up to 50% of women may conceive within 6-9 months of taking the prescribed drug treatment.

Endometriosis

Damaged, blocked or twisted tubes can cause fertility problems for women. Endometriosis can cause scar tissue and adhesions to form, gradually blocking the fallopian tubes - the pathway the egg takes to reach the womb.

An infection such as Chlamydia can also block the fallopian tubes. Chlamydia is usually undetectable, so it's always advisable to have regular pap smears with your Family Planning Centre or STI clinic. It is now possible to buy at-home Chlamydia tests from leading chemists. If tubes have been blocked for a considerable length of time the damage may be irreversible, but it's advisable you speak to your GP for advice.

Hormonal imbalance

Changes in certain hormone levels can lead to your ovaries not producing mature eggs that can be fertilised. The key hormone Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) helps the follicles that hold the eggs within the ovaries, ripen and push mature eggs to the surface of the ovary to be released. If there's an imbalance in this hormone, eggs can be released before they're ready to be fertilised and their quality is compromised. FSH gives an indication of Ovarian Reserve (whether eggs are good enough quality to be capable of fertilization).

Fertell can help assess your fertility levels with its new Ovarian Reserve test. It’s a simple at-home urine test that gives results within 30 minutes. It measures FSH levels on day 3 of a cycle, indicating whether eggs are capable of fertilization.

Poor Diet, lifestyle, high or low weight and age all contribute to declining female fertility. Cutting down on alcohol, giving up smoking, losing weight, can all improve fertility levels.

Psychological Impact of fertility issues

Having a baby can seem like the ultimate goal for many women - even if they don't realise it. Pressure from parents, and in-laws, can mean that the stress to reproduce is three-fold. It may seem that it’s not just the couple trying for a baby, but all their relatives too.

Some tips to lessen some of the emotional stress:

* If you're trying for a baby, try to keep your decision a secret, at least for the first year. In some cases, it pays to be circumspect.

* Ask your partner to speak to his parent's if you feel that they are putting pressure onto the two of you

* Explain that it is upsetting having to tell everybody in the family the state of your conception every time you get together.

* Remember to ask how your partner is coping with the pressure and stress - at these times he may feel like nothing more than a sperm donor.

* It's important to remember then that parents and in-laws are just trying to help

* Make time for yourselves as a couple – talk about things other than trying for a baby

* Take some gentle exercise – walking, swimming, and dancing

* Switch caffeine fuelled drinks for non-caffeinated e.g herbal and fruit teas, mineral water to calm and soothe

* Find out about possible fertility issues as soon as possible to give you either peace of mind to continue trying or picks up fertility issues sooner, giving you more time to seek appropriate treatment, giving you a higher chance of conceiving.

Fertell helps you find out sooner with it’s new Ovarian Reserve test and it fertility test for couples (includes an Ovarian Reserve test for women and a test for men that measures the concentration of motile sperm).

For further information about male and female fertility or the Fertell fertility tests, please contact Paula Patmore at Genosis Plc: