With figures showing that one-in-six Irish couples suffer from fertility issues, getting pregnant can be a lot harder than it seems.

Lifestyle choices can be incredibly impactful when it comes to fertility, but Master of the National Maternity Hospital Professor Shane Higgins said that there are a range of options for couples that have been consistently struggling to conceive.

“If you’ve been trying for a while and you feel that your lifestyle choices and your exercise, et cetera, is all in keeping with good choices, then you should, without delaying it, being referred to a fertility clinic,” he told Lunchtime Live.

“They can start to do the baseline set of investigations.

“They are checking that you are ovulating every month, whether you believe you are or not, checking to see if your fallopian tubes are patent, and a seminal analysis on the male partner.”

According to Prof Higgins, there are strict criteria for being referred to fertility clinics, but that shouldn’t stop couples from discussing the route with their GP.

“The ovulation, tubal patency and seminal [tests] - that’s the cornerstone of investigations for infertility,” he said.

“If you have a history of conditions like endometriosis or pelvic infections, a laparoscopy might also be recommended or undertaken, to see if you have significant endometriosis.

“Which can obviously affect how the tubes function or how the ovaries release an egg if they’re covered in adhesions.”

Fertility clinic consultation. Image: Science Photo Library / Alamy. 20 August 2018

One texter asked whether she should give up on having a baby after three early miscarriages.

“I’ve had all the tests done, they come back with nothing,” she wrote.

“Apparently, both my partner and I are perfectly healthy.

“I can keep trying, but without answers, I feel it’s pointless and heartbreaking – any advice?”

Pregnancy loss tests

Prof Higgins said never to give up, and recommended that in this case, investigations for recurrent pregnancy loss should be carried out, rather than those focusing on fertility.

“One of those tests would be to send any tissue that’s removed from the uterus to a laboratory so that it can be analysed just to look at the cells,” he said.

“But more importantly, to look at whether there’s a genetic or chromosomal problem which might be contributing to the pregnancy losses.

“So, yes, absolutely that person needs to be referred, but not necessarily to an infertility clinic.”

Prof Higgins said that 10-30% of couples seen in clinics suffer from unexplained infertility.

Main image: Pregnancy, test and hands of woman with results for future family, children and baby in bathroom.