A reproductive endocrinologist (also called a fertility specialist) diagnoses and treats infertility. They can help pinpoint why you aren’t getting pregnant and suggest fertility treatments tailored to your needs and goals.

Some treatments your specialist might suggest are:

• Medicine: Medications can stimulate egg production or egg release during ovulation. Treatment may include oral therapy or injectable medications.
• Surgery: Surgically repairing abnormalities or blockages in either partner can improve fertility.
• Intra-uterine insemination (IUI): Also known as artificial insemination, IUI involves placing sperm into the uterus around the time of ovulation.
• In vitro fertilization (IVF): If you and your partner have tried other fertility treatments without success, IVF may be a great option for you.
• Cryopreservation (freezing): Sperm, eggs or embryos are frozen and thawed for use in IVF (or in the future). This may provide an extra embryo transfer without having to go through another full IVF cycle.
• Family building for LGBTQ couples and single people: Fertility treatments are available for LGBTQ couples and for single people who would like to build a family. Your specialist will work with you (and your partner, if applicable) to evaluate your fertility health and discuss options to help you achieve your goal of parenthood.
• Donor egg or sperm: If conception isn’t likely using your own eggs or sperm, your doctor may suggest using a donor.
• Counseling and support services: You aren’t alone in your journey toward pregnancy. Your care team will support you throughout the process and can refer you to a therapist, counselor or support group, if needed.

In general, if you’ve been trying to conceive for a year without success, you should consider seeing a fertility specialist.

Timing may vary based on your age and situation:

• Over age 35 and trying for 6 months
• Over age 39 and trying for 3 months
• Have known ovulatory dysfunction, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and trying for 6 months
• Have a history of ectopic pregnancy or repeated miscarriages

Minimally invasive fertility testing can include:

• Semen analysis to examine sperm quantity and quality
• Laboratory evaluation of blood samples
• X-ray procedures to check for potential blockages or abnormalities in the uterine cavity or fallopian tubes
• Ultrasound to examine the uterus for abnormalities
• Minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure to evaluate the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes and pelvic cavity through a small abdominal incision

In vitro fertilization is an infertility treatment where specialists combine eggs extracted from your ovaries with sperm from your partner (or a donor). Then they implant the fertilized egg, called a zygote, into your uterus. If you’ve tried other fertility treatments without success, IVF may be a great option for you.

Though an advanced treatment, IVF is commonly used for people with the following conditions:

• Endometriosis
• Fallopian tube damage or blockage
• Prior tubal ligation
• Ovulation disorders
• Recurrent miscarriage
• Low sperm production or function
• Unexplained infertility

Even if you don’t have any of these conditions but have been unsuccessful in getting pregnant, IVF can drastically increase your chance of conceiving.

In an IVF treatment cycle, your specialist will use fertility drugs to gently stimulate your ovaries to help produce mature eggs. When ready, we’ll retrieve your eggs and combine them with sperm from your partner or a donor in a special dish to produce high-quality embryos, which we closely monitor. Then we place a carefully selected embryo or embryos in your uterus in a process called an embryo transfer. This boosts your chances of pregnancy.

It’s hard to estimate, because success depends on how old you are, your body mass index and some other factors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an IVF Success Estimator.

Being prepared for your first appointment with a fertility specialist can reduce stress and make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Here’s what to bring to your first fertility appointment:

• A copy of your medical records from your OB-GYN, primary care physician or urologist, if applicable (you may send them over before your appointment)
• Insurance cards (for you and your partner, if applicable)
• A list of questions
• Optionally, your partner or a support person to help you weigh information and ask questions