Hi Everyone!
My name is Candace and I am 23 years old and newly married. My husband and I have been sexually active with each other for over 6 years, never really using protection, with the exception of the first year. After we turned 18, we both were so much in love, we decided that if we got pregnant, we could handle it. So we threw caution to the wind and stopped using protection. We were never really trying, but we definitely weren't preventing... just doing it spontaneously and not really worrying about it. My periods have alwyas been a little bit out of wack. There were months I'd go without a period, and times it would last over 2 weeks, but for the most part it was okay. My doctor suggested Oral Contraceptive just to regulate my periods a little bit, but it was never really an issue of fertility or anything. So anyway, we've gone this long doing it unprotected, no pulling out or anything, and we've never gotten pregnant. Well, we got married about 6 months ago and we want to start "trying" though we've never really prevented ever. What reasons could you think that we've never been pregnant so far? And what pointers could you give us for some better luck. I'd appreciate any answers that you have out there! Thanks a bunch!!! [color:"blue"] [/color]

I suggest the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by T. Weschler (I may have misspelled her last name)

It is a fantastic book with a lot of useful info for conceiving, possibly preventing complications due to old eggs/sperm and preventing pregnancy as well!

Once you read it I suggest joining Fertilityfriend.com <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Meg

I would say timing is the likely culprit. It isn't as easy as some say it is to get pg. Before you conclude that you are infertile, get the TCOYF book and join some sites that have fertility planners. With these you can start taking your BBT ( basal body temp) and start keeping track of your fertile times. For many women, they struggle because they assume they should be on a 28 day cycle and discover that they are really on a 35 day cycle or any other cycle, which is perfectly normal.

Don't stress about it yet. My doctor had me temp for a year before I could start fertility meds. They really need to be sure that you are infertile before they start planning for it.

So, buy a thermometer and track your cycles and buy a few OPKs and see how it all comes together.

Good luck!

Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a great book! I'm thinking though that it might be very worth your while to get a great checkup from your OB/GYN. I'd also suggest havig your hubby have a semen analysis as well.

You both have been sex together for quite some time, with no protection and having these checkups will just give you peace of mind that all is well!

Good luck to you both and congratulations!

It sounds more like you could have a hormonal imbalance. 6 years is an awfully long time not to conceive if you're not using protection.

Do you have signs of PCOS (see here - http://www.fertilitystories.com/pcos.htm)? I would definitely get tested for hormonal problems & as suggested before, have you husband have a semen analysis.

[color:"blue"] Pinpoint when you ovulate:
http://www.babycenter.com/calculators/ovulation/

There are also signs of when you ovualte:
http://www.estronaut.com/a/ovulation_fertility.htm

Only have sex the week you ovulate so your S.O. will have a high sperm count.

If you've tried this and still no luck, don't try so hard, relax! and if your still not having luck, you might want to see the doc to get help.[/color]

[color:"blue"] How would one (female) know they have PCOS? (Besides infertility) What are the signs?[/color]

get to a dr. it shouldn't be taking this long. most couples conceive within a year, most of the rest conceive within 2 years. if it's longer than that, you should find out what's preventing it. good luck!

waterlily,
pcos can be identified on ultrasound and through symptoms. usually the ovaries will have little cysts that look like a string of pearls around them. not every woman with pcos has the cysts though. the cysts do keep you from ovulating, and your cycles will be infrequent (my friend has 3 periods a year because of it). insulin-resistance is another clue. some outward symptoms are rounded face (moon-shape is what the dr's call it), more facial hair than normal, overweight, painful periods, infertility. there are other signs, but i don't recall all of them. my friend with pcos conceived on her own (well, with her husband's help of course) after 6 years infertility. it's amazing it happened without help because she rarely ovulates. she loaned me the book "what to do when your dr tells you it's pcos" because i wanted to know more about what she was going through. it was a great read. they also have one about endometriosis. haven't read it yet (i should because i have endo, and that's prevented us from conceiving for almost 10 years now).

didn't mean to hijack the post. sorry.

anyway, answers are important. we've never been able to have kids, but i finally know the reason why. and that helps with emotional healing.

(((Hugs)))

Thanks a bunch, Holly!

I have very irregular cycles, and possibly don't ovulate either and with severe menstral pain.