Not able to conceive: here’s what you can do

When diagnosed with infertility it is important to know that fertility problems are common and can vary also. Infertility is a common problem according to the Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction, infertility currently affects about 10 to 14 percent of the Indian population, with higher rates in urban areas where one out of six couples is impacted. It can be caused by a single problem or a number of issues. Often patients don't fully appreciate the extent of the potential causes, especially age that may be linked to them failing to conceive.

Three common reasons in women include:

• damage to fallopian tubes which is also called tubal infertility
• cervical causes
• ovulation disorders.

But there are many reasons which must be investigated in both men and women like: 

• semen analysis in males
• ovarian reserve testing in females as the egg reserve diminishes with age
• regularity of menstrual cycle
• previous history of any genetic disorder in both partners

As an infertility specialist, I would advise everyone to

What is an ovarian reserve?

Ovarian reserve is the term used to describe how many eggs are left in a woman's ovaries. A woman's fertility depends on the quality and quantity of eggs in her ovaries. Ovaries are among two of the most important glands of the female reproductive system. Women, generally speaking, have two ovaries; one located on each side of the pelvis. The ovaries are responsible for producing egg cells, the number of egg cells in your ovaries is your ovarian reserve.

The quantity of eggs any woman has largely depends on two main factors. The first factor is how many eggs a woman was born with (it may surprise you to learn that some women are born with 50x more eggs than other women). And the second factor is the rate at which the eggs in the ovaries are depleted during each menstrual cycle.

There are a few tests which can be carried out to determine what a woman's ovarian reserve is; here below we describe some of the most common ones: