when to test?

[pinkhandbells]

I am almost 22 years old and have one to two years of college left. I have been passively trying to have a baby with my husband since August 2008, so 1 year 6 months. Passively meaning no planned sex, no charting (because I can't have much routine since I work graveyards and days rotating every week), but not using any birth control whatsoever. I haven't had regular periods ever, but it has regulated a small bit since I got off birth control. My periods come around every 4 to 6 weeks. Before birth control, cycles would last anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. My doctor told me then, that I sounded like I didn't ovulate, but no tests were done. So, my question is, when should I look into infertility tests. I don't necessarily want to actively try to become pregnant until after I graduate or at least until I will have the baby after I graduate. But on the other hand, I want to grow my family quickly after I am done with school. I know that fertility treatments and/or adoption could take a while, but I want to have my last child (of hopefully, three!) by at latest, 35, so that I can enjoy grandchildren, a new career as a travel nurse once my kids are grown, and vacations with my husband. If I were to become pregnant before I graduate school it would still be okay because my husband and I both want children, we both have great jobs (where we get free diapers if we have children!!), and we are financially stable (although, we would need to upgrade our house since it is only one bedroom, but we want to buy a house either this summer or next), it would just be ideal to wait until after we bought a house and I get done with school for an amazing job as a RN. So, when should I start the infertility testing?

[coma1105]

Uh...your 21...start the infertility test when your 35...

I'm sure you'll have no problem getting pregnant.

[allisonb]

OB's normally say to start infertility testing if you have not conceived within 1 year of trying if your under 35 or 6 months if over 35. Good luck.

[pinkhandbells]

Thanks Allison...

Coma, I realize that being young would normally mean that it would be easy to have a child, but just in case that it is not, I do not want to wait until I am 35 to start trying by either fertility treatments or adoption. Being a parent has always been one of my biggest dreams and after I finish school and buy a house I want to grow my family as soon as possible. I have wanted a child since I was 18, I cannot imagine waiting another 14+ years. My life revolves around becoming a good person so that I will be a good mother. I wouldn't worry about the fertility stuff if my periods were more regular and my doctor didn't think I don't ovulate. I just want a family so much!

[Newmom!]

I would suggest getting tested for infertility now. You did say that you don't chart. Have you read the book "Take Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler? There are pointers in how to chart if you do have a funny schedule like you describe (if I remember right, at least 4 consecutive hours of sleep was a little more important than the same time of day to make charting work). According to the book, once couples begin to chart, many of them are able to conceive because they are having sex at the right time. If you don't have the money for fertility tests at the moment, then check out this book and see if you can make it work for you. Either way, if you chart you then at least have more info you can bring to the fertility clinic.

The great thing about charting is that you can see if you ovulate of not, and after only 2 months of charting, I was able to predict 10 days out the day I was to expect my period (that was nice). Also, since you don't really want kids just yet, charting can help you in making sure you don't get pregnant yet but still be knowledgeable about your odd cycles.

Good luck

[Enthuse2]

I would say to test when you actually want to get pregnant. If you want to wait til you are done with school, go to the doctor a bit before you are done so the timing will be ok. I had tried for a year (and I too was 21 at that time), and after that I went to the doctor. They didn't even test me because they knew I needed something to get pregnant. They gave me clomid and I was able to get pregnant. I ended up having a c-section and it turns out i have PCOS, so I am infertile, but they probably wouldn't have known for sure unless they had cut me open, which they wouldn't have done unless necessary. If you have been trying that long you probably need some help to get pregnant, so when you are ready, talk to your doctor about it and he/she can help you.