Will I Have Problems Getting Pregnant When I’m Ready? Find Out.

If you’re a woman, you’ve probably wondered at some point in your life whether you were fertile. Unfortunately, it’s not an uncommon problem, with as much as 19% of women of childbearing unable to get pregnant.

So if you’re wondering now, is there a way to find out if I’m fertile so that I can be prepared when I am ready to conceive? We have the answer for you. Read on to find out how you can check your fertility.

What is fertility?

Before covering how to check your fertility, let’s cover the basics. Fertility is defined as the ability to reproduce. In other words, as a woman, you are fertile if you are able to conceive and sustain a pregnancy to full term. Women are fertile during the childbearing years, from puberty up until menopause.

Infertility, on the other hand, happens when a woman is unable to conceive after a year of trying. Usually, it is due to a hiccup in one of the steps required for pregnancy, which are:

1. Ovulation: Egg released from ovary monthly
2. Fertilization: Sperm and egg meet
3. Implantation: The fertilized egg must travel into the womb and attach to the uterine wall

What are the Risk Factors that Increase the Chance of Infertility?

Some factors may increase your chances of being infertile when you’re ready to try to conceive. Here is a list of traits that are associated with female infertility:

• Increased Age (over 30)
• Smoking
• Drinking alcohol in excess
• Overweight
• Underweight
• Extreme change in weight
• Amenorrhea (absence of periods)
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Endometriosis
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
• History of miscarriage

How Do I Check My Fertility?

Many doctors will not explore the possibility of infertility until you have met one or more of the following criteria:

1. One year of unprotected sex
2. Age over 35 years old
3. Menstrual Problems or other risk factors

If you do not yet meet those criteria, but still have a desire to test your fertility–you still have options.

Option #1: If you want to naturally self-monitor if and when you are ovulating, practice the fertility awareness method. This can be used to detect the signs of ovulation and is used by both women who are looking to prevent pregnancy as well as those who want to conceive. This method incorporates a combination of three observations: counting the days of your cycle, checking basal body temperature, and checking for changes in cervical mucus. There are also ovulation test strips available over the counter to help you confirm fertility.

Option #2: If you don’t have the patience for option #1, there is a much quicker way to determine your fertility. In-home fertility testing is available. My Virtual Physician has partnered with Orchid to provide our patients with the ability to test fertility hormone levels at any point in their journey.

All that is required is a consultation with our online gynecologists who will provide you a prescription for your at-home test kit. These kits are very affordable, easy to do at home with a finger prick, and are sent back to a professional lab. Your results are reviewed by our OBGYN team and if there are any fertility concerns, actionable steps are provided and our team of specialists is here to help.

Take the first step and book your appointment with My Virtual Physician to get your at-home fertility test kit today.

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What To Do if Your Fertility Test Results Show Infertility

If you’ve had fertility testing done and the results were concerning, but also provided no actionable steps, we recommend trying Orchid test kits. These kits use accurate VAMS technology and the detailed, personalized results come with action steps that can restore your fertility. My Virtual Physician is staffed with board-certified OBGYNs who are available to meet with you virtually and discuss your fertility results, along with an action plan.