The original recommendation to attempt conception for one year prior to seeking help came from a study that suggested that overall 85 percent of couples of reproductive age trying to conceive would be successful in one year's time. This did not take into account the woman's age.

We know that in any given month, the chance that a woman will get pregnant is very much age related, and that a woman in her mid-twenties to early thirties may have a 20 to 25 percent chance to conceive per month, but that this decreases significantly in the thirties, such that a woman who is 40 may only have a 5 percent per month rate of conception. It is, however, a battle with time, because as the older woman waits to conceive her chances are significantly diminishing.

Because of this age factor, many fertility specialists would recommend that women 37 to 38 and older seek medical assistance after only six months of trying to conceive. Also couples with known fertility problems such as men with very low sperm counts or motilities, women with very irregular menstrual cycles who probably do not ovulate, and women with known fallopian tube disease who may have had a past history of pelvic inflammatory disease, should not wait one year before seeking medical assistance.

Lastly, any couple who are concerned about fertility and who do not want to wait a full year should be encouraged to have a visit with a fertility specialist to discuss their situation and answer questions. After getting information, they may then decide to wait longer or may wish to go forward with diagnostic testing."

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