I've Been Trying to Conceive for Over a Year: Can You Help?

You decided to grow your family, but getting pregnant is taking longer than you thought it would. Now, you’re wondering what your options are. Here’s how seeing a fertility specialist can help you find answers and a personalized path forward.

Deciding to grow your family is exciting. But for many couples, the dream of conceiving quickly can sometimes become a long journey that’s filled with a mix of hope, disappointment, and questions.

If you've been trying to conceive for over a year, you might be wondering if it’s time to consider fertility treatments — and what options you have.

Our team at South Valley Women's Health Care can help. We specialize in infertility care, and we work to understand your unique situation and recommend options to help you achieve your family planning goals. Here’s how.

Recognizing infertility

The first step to successful fertility care is recognizing when you may benefit from it. In general, infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse for women under 35, and after six months for women over 35.

That means if you’ve been trying to get pregnant for at least 12 months (or six if you’re over 35), scheduling a fertility consultation is essential. We also recommend seeing a fertility specialist if:

You have a known gynecologic condition like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis
You’ve experienced multiple miscarriages
Your partner has known male factor infertility, like low sperm count

Numerous factors can contribute to infertility, ranging from hormonal imbalances and structural issues within reproductive organs to lifestyle factors like stress and weight. Our team is dedicated to providing comprehensive fertility care and understanding the underlying cause of your infertility.

At South Valley Women's Health Care, we do fertility assessments that include blood tests, imaging studies, and semen analysis to identify potential issues. Then, we review your results and discuss the options that make the most sense for our situation.

Finding the right fertility care for you

Based on the findings of your fertility assessment, we may recommend:

Lifestyle modifications

We often start with lifestyle changes before recommending medical interventions, especially if you don’t have a known medical condition or related factors impacting your fertility. Lifestyle changes like improving your diet, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, and maintaining a healthy weight can have a positive impact on fertility for both partners.

Medications

A few different medications can increase your chances of getting pregnant. For example, Clomid® (clomiphene citrate) and Femara® (letrozole) can stimulate ovulation. If hormonal imbalance is contributing to your infertility, hormonal medications like gonadotropins can also help restore normal cycles and improve your fertility.

Surgery

Sometimes, anatomical issues like blocked fallopian tubes, uterine fibroids, or endometriosis contribute to infertility. In these cases, surgery can be a very successful treatment to support your reproductive system and improve your chances of conception.

Advanced fertility treatments

When conservative treatments like lifestyle modification and oral medication aren’t effective, we can refer you to reproductive endocrinologists in Salt Lake Valley. Common assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments include intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF).

If there are issues with egg or sperm quality (or both), your reproductive endocrinologist may discuss using donor eggs or sperm as an option.

Counseling and support

No matter your situation, the emotional aspect of infertility can be overwhelming. That’s why we offer counseling services to help individuals and couples cope with the stress and emotional challenges that come with infertility.

Our goal is to help you achieve a successful pregnancy and give you the tools to cope with the emotional highs and lows of the process.

In short, if you’ve been trying to get pregnant for over a year, now is the time to seek help. You’re not alone, and our team is committed to helping you find answers — and a path forward.