[dna17]

Ok I have been married for 9 years. We never had protected sex since we've been married. I have not got pregnant over the years. The last time I did a pap smear was a couple years ago and it came back negative. I am finally getting another pap smear done this year to follow up my status. I am curious as to what is wrong with me if anything about why I have not conceive over all the years. We are sexually intimite with one another through out all our years together. I have irregular period when I was younger but as I got older, they became more regular. Except sometimes they can very where they fall within month to month. I am not sure what is wrong with me? Anyone has any idea? :(

[this8384]

The problem may very well lie with your husband's reproduction ability, not yours. Has he been tested at all?

[J_9]

There are many reasons for your inability to conceive. It may be you or your husband.

I don't understand what you mean by your pap smear being negative. Negative for what?

Have either you or your husband had a fertility workup? This should be your next step.

[mum2five]

If you're having problems conceiving a child, you are not alone. Although it can feel as if everyone in the world is getting pregnant at the drop of a hat except you, 25% of all couples experience a period of infertility, and one in ten couples will need medical help conceiving.

After a year of trying for a baby, one in seven couples will not have conceived, although after two years of trying 90% will have been successful. However, if it's still not happening for you, or you want to maximise your chances, there are lots of things you can do at home to help boost your fertility. Failing this, there is a wide range of medical procedures that can assist couples having difficulty conceiving a child.

I think both you and hubby need to be tested - then you will be able to look at the options x

[J_9]

there are lots of things you can do at home to help boost your fertility.

I am interested in knowing what these "things" are that you can do at home to boost fertility. Can you please explain?

[mum2five]

Yes of course - but how much truth is behind them I have no idea - I actually wrote an e book on the subject after a close friend had this problem - she thanked me well shouted at me when she found out she was expecting twins x

These are meant as cheek in tongue not medical ! All medical isues need to be taken up with a doctor x

Try to keep sex fun when you're trying to conceive - when it becomes a chore or it is on your mind you have to get pregnant the stress does not help!

Don't hop up and run to the bathroom right after you make love. Lying down for at least a few minutes after intercourse increases the odds that the sperm will be able to keep their date with the awaiting egg and that you'll win at baby roulette. My midwife advised putting your legs high up !

Make love often during your fertile period (the five days leading up to ovulation). If you've got the stamina to make love at least every 48hours, you will ensure that there's a fresh shipment of sperm waiting in the fallopian tube at any given time.

Keep in mind that babymaking is a numbers game. Even if you do everything "right," you still have only a 25% to 30% chance of conceiving in any given cycle.

Are you a coffee drinker? Time to give it up or switch to decaf! Caffeine is thought to restrict the growth of a developing baby by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the uterus.

Are you or your partner regularly exposed to hazardous substances in the workplace? You may need to consider a job change or job modification before you start your family. Certain substances can affect both the quality of sperm and the development of the embryo.

If you aren't already doing so, start keeping a menstrual calendar. Note the date when your period starts, the number of days it lasts, and anything else your doctor might want to know about. This information could prove helpful if you experience problems in conceiving. It can also prove invaluable in pinpointing the date of conception -- and consequently your due date

Make your vaginal environment as sperm-friendly as possible. Avoid vaginal sprays and scented tampons (which can cause a pH imbalance in your vagina); artificial lubricants, vegetable oils, and glycerin (because they can kill off sperm); saliva (because saliva can also kill sperm); and douching (because it alters the normal acidity of the vagina; can cause vaginal infections and/or pelvic inflammatory disease; and may wash away the cervical mucus that is needed to transport the sperm).

If you're monitoring your cervical mucus in an attempt to predict your most fertile days, do your checks before you shower, bathe, or swim. These activities can all affect the quantity and quality of your cervical mucus.

A woman who is underweight may ovulate erratically, or not at all.

too much exertion releases hormones that interfere with the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone

stress affects the hypothalamus, which is the brain structure that oversees the menstrual cycle

crash dieting and skipping meals can interfere

Cigarettes, marijuana use and alcohol can interfere with fertility.

There are many many things that can be tried to boost fertility without getting into the deif tests you cn buy to use at home.

Of course 9 years seems an awfull long time - why has it taken so long before finding out if there is a medical condition ? I was just asuming there was no medical problem x

[J_9]

Mum2five, I love the way you worded things above. You did forget to mention, however, that the guy should wear boxers, not briefs. And he needs to stay out of hot tubs and/or hot baths.

[mum2five]

I do not like to use certain words in case I was to offend so thought I would write correctly x

[Elfbwillow]

If you don't mind me asking dna17, do you suffer any pain in stomach or back?

I agree with the suggestions that your partner needs to be checked out too - me and my husband both were checked out after over three years of unsuccessfully trying to find out I had endometriosis and cists on my overies and I had only a 1% chance of ever concieving, though people always told me that 1% is better than no chance at all and after we gave up all hope - I conceived naturally - on the morning we were due to have IUI treatment!

[dna17]

Yes of course - but how much truth is behind them I have no idea - I actually wrote an e book on the subject after a close friend had this problem - she thanked me well shouted at me when she found out she was expecting twins x

These are meant as cheek in tongue not medical ! All medical isues need to be taken up with a doctor x

Try to keep sex fun when you're trying to conceive - when it becomes a chore or it is on your mind you have to get pregnant the stress does not help!

Don't hop up and run to the bathroom right after you make love. Lying down for at least a few minutes after intercourse increases the odds that the sperm will be able to keep their date with the awaiting egg and that you'll win at baby roulette. My midwife advised putting your legs high up !

Make love often during your fertile period (the five days leading up to ovulation). If you've got the stamina to make love at least every 48hours, you will ensure that there's a fresh shipment of sperm waiting in the fallopian tube at any given time.

Keep in mind that babymaking is a numbers game. Even if you do everything "right," you still have only a 25% to 30% chance of conceiving in any given cycle.

Are you a coffee drinker? Time to give it up or switch to decaf! Caffeine is thought to restrict the growth of a developing baby by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the uterus.

Are you or your partner regularly exposed to hazardous substances in the workplace? You may need to consider a job change or job modification before you start your family. Certain substances can affect both the quality of sperm and the development of the embryo.

If you aren't already doing so, start keeping a menstrual calendar. Note the date when your period starts, the number of days it lasts, and anything else your doctor might want to know about. This information could prove helpful if you experience problems in conceiving. It can also prove invaluable in pinpointing the date of conception -- and consequently your due date

Make your vaginal environment as sperm-friendly as possible. Avoid vaginal sprays and scented tampons (which can cause a pH imbalance in your vagina); artificial lubricants, vegetable oils, and glycerin (because they can kill off sperm); saliva (because saliva can also kill sperm); and douching (because it alters the normal acidity of the vagina; can cause vaginal infections and/or pelvic inflammatory disease; and may wash away the cervical mucus that is needed to transport the sperm).

If you're monitoring your cervical mucus in an attempt to predict your most fertile days, do your checks before you shower, bathe, or swim. These activities can all affect the quantity and quality of your cervical mucus.

A woman who is underweight may ovulate erratically, or not at all.

too much exertion releases hormones that interfere with the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone

stress affects the hypothalamus, which is the brain structure that oversees the menstrual cycle

crash dieting and skipping meals can interfere

Cigarettes, marijuana use and alcohol can interfere with fertility.

There are many many things that can be tried to boost fertility without getting into the deif tests you cn buy to use at home.

Of course 9 years seems an awfull long time - why has it taken so long before finding out if there is a medical condition ? I was just asuming there was no medical problem x

We never put much thought into in the past... We both didn't why it hasn't happen but we both weren't ready at the same time to consider putting much thought into it until recently..

I also start taking multivitamins 4 months ago and now currently taking prenatal vitamins... Recently, I notice really strange symptons but I was really unsure of what is going on with my body. I thought it could be due to stress as well at the same time because I had breast tenderness for a couple of days and it would go away. Then I experience lower abdominal pain on and off. I happen to realize it occur right before my menstural cycle began.. In which, I normally don't experience those feelings in the past before... I do notice a lot of changes in my body for about 2 weeks but than now things seems to be OK again after my cycle ended... I do notice that my breast are getting bigger and they look different but it could be due to gaining weight in which I haven't gain a whole lot of weight either but maybe a couple of pounds. I am not sure what is going on with my body at the moment but I do have a appointment coming up soon. Hopefully nothing is wrong with me.

[dna17]

If you dont mind me asking dna17, do you suffer any pain in stomach or back?

I agree with the suggestions that your partner needs to be checked out too - me and my husband both were checked out after over three years of unsuccessfully trying to find out i had endometriosis and cists on my overies and i had only a 1% chance of ever concieving, though people always told me that 1% is better than no chance at all and after we gave up all hope - i concieved naturally - on the morning we were due to have IUI treatment!

Normally I do not experience any pain at all.. Lately I have experience some lower pain but they don't persist for a long duration..