You've always known that someday, somehow, you were meant to be a mother. You figure that it's part of the female disposition to want to nurture anyway, but it's some sort of a special feeling that you have that just won't go away. The feeling started in your mid-twenties, and has just escalated year after year.



Well, now you're approaching forty, and are wondering if you have an infertility problem. You've got it all – a wonderful husband, a nice house, a good job – everything except a baby. You've been thinking more and more about infertility because you and your husband have literally been trying for a baby every week since your marriage several years ago. You've read that for a couple who are actively having unprotected sex, it should take no more than a few months to get pregnant.

Honestly, you have no idea why you, of all women, might have an infertility problem. You've had regular periods since you were twelve, eat well, and keep fit. You decide to have a chat with your mother about the situation. She clearly didn't have a problem with infertility, since she had four children.

Your mother says that sometimes stress can be a big factor. For example, some women experience irregular periods because stress throws off body chemistry. In your case, you've always had regular periods, but stress can still hinder conception. So, the first thing you should do is start relaxing more.

So, you start doing just that – you talk walks, you meditate, you do whatever you can to relax as much as possible. Three months later, and not a baby in sight. Your frustration is driving you crazy, but then you start thinking that maybe it wasn't your fault in the first place – maybe it has something to do with your husband's sperm count!

You sigh with great relief that you're probably not the reason for this situation. You have a gynecological appointment coming up anyway, so you can finally make sure that it's not you. Two days later, you happily emerge from the examination room, secure in the knowledge that you are perfectly able to produce lots of babies.

Now comes the toughest part of all – telling your husband that his swimmers aren't exactly ready for the Olympics of babymaking. You decide to make him his favorite dinner and break it to him gradually – like after he's had a couple glasses of wine.

You have to say, he took the news a little better than you thought he would. Instead of throwing a tantrum, he actually just starting sobbing. Needless to say, he wasn't in the mood for dessert. Luckily, your husband is a proactive man, and decided to get his sperm tested.

The results corroborated with your own conclusions – while your husband has swimmers, he has nowhere near enough to compete in even a amateur babymaking competition. However, you still have several options, in-vitro fertilization among them. Regardless, you know that someday you and your husband will have a family.