first steps

If you are concerned about infertility because you haven’t been able to conceive a child, remember that conception is a very complex process. In fact, there’s only about a 25% likelihood that an average couple will conceive in any given month (this percentage declines as a woman ages). Some couples may require more time and careful planning to achieve their goal of having a child.

Before you and your partner turn to fertility testing, there are some steps you can take to improve your chances of conceiving such as monitoring monthly cycles and having intercourse during ovulation. This section discusses how to do this and suggests other “first steps”. They may or may not help you reach your goal, but they are a good place to start.