My husband and I have been trying to conceive our 1st child for 8 months. I am 27 and he is 33. I have been charting and using ovulation predictors for the last 6 months and all evidence seems to show that I am ovulating normally. Still, I am concerned with the fact that we have not conceived yet, especially since my husband suffered a minor injury back in college. I can't help but think that this might be preventing us from getting pregnant. When is it appropriate for us to seek the help of a specialist? Should we go to a reproductive endocrinologist or straight to a urologist?

Generally, healthy couples have an 85% chance of becomming pregnant within one year of having unprotected intercourse. That increases to 90% by 2 years of trying. Another manner of looking at this is that you have a 10-15% chance per month of conceiving.

Statistics aside, many healthy couples take a while to conceive. Despite normal ovulations, regular periods and good health, it is hard to conceive. Typically, infertility is defined as unsuccessful conception after one year of trying to conceive. So technically, you are not yet considered infertile. Given all of that, not having successful conception is very stressful and this stress is not helpful to conception.

When we break down the causes of infertility, approximately 40% are female factor only, 30% are male factors only and 30% of cases involve both male and female factors. For this reason, I would recommend you and your husband get evaluated - you by a reproductive endocrinologist and your husband by a urologist. His evaluation initially will be very straightforward - a history, physical and some basic laboratory tests and a semen analysis. His doctors should have a very good idea about his reproductive potential after one visit and his lab evaluation.

So, overall, it is reasonable for you both to be evaluated now to help go on with the process.

Answered by Dr. Jonathan Schiff, M.D.