I am 28 yrs old and my wife is 26 yrs old. We are married for 18 months now, and we are planning for a baby. We tried three months continuously and then there was a break of three months and tried for a month again. We stay separate due to our job locations but when we meet up during vacation we try. Till now there has been no success. After marriage we used followed the barrier method for 12 months and then stopped using it. Now we are worried if there is some type of infertility problems in one of us. Please suggest if there are some ways to be followed for my wife to conceive.

It takes approximately a year for 85 percent of couples to get pregnant. Couples that are together. Meeting up just vacations is not really ideal. What will you both do when your wife does get pregnant. Is there a plan?

Do you know when she ovulates? There are tests to pinpoint the exact day. That would be the best day to meet up.

I'm curious what you would do after she gets pregnant, too. Would she be left to deal with the pregnancy alone? What about after the baby's born? Would you only see the kid on the weekends?

Like Joe said, it takes the average couple 1 or more years to conceive, so after 3 months of trying, you really have nothing to worry about, especially since you can't be together all the time.

If you still haven't conceived in a year, trying actively, on her ovulation day, then see a doctor and discuss your concerns. Until then, you're well within normal for most couples. :)

I'm glad you have a plan for when she does become pregnant. We all understand that you do what you can to get by in today's economy. You just don't often hear of couples choosing to live apart for their jobs.

I agree with the others

It could very easily be an issue of proper timing. During ovulation, the egg is really only viable for approximately 24 hours. Its best to have intercourse on the day of, or within 2 days prior to ovulation.

I agree with the suggestion to start trying several days before expected ovulation... a few sessions prior to right through suspected ovulation can be a bonus. Ovulation kits let you know that your body is preparing for ovulation and ovulation tends to occur within a few days of the rise in the LH level (the hormone the kits test for). Some women will ovulate soon after this rise, some a couple of days after, so having the sperm ready and waiting just before ovulation provides the best odds of conception.

As Jesushelper said, 85% of couples will become pregnant within the first year... your odds of any given cycle are only about 20% or so.

Try not to become too concerned just yet... the timing is likely very much an issue, so it would not be unusual for it to take a bit longer for you.

Hopefully you will be lucky and find yourselves pregnant in the next few months... good luck!