What to do—and when—if attempts to get pregnant on your own aren't working?

Many women think about making a baby in a particular year or month and have plenty of sex. Yet, some of them do not get a success even after trying long. They begin using ovulation-predictor kits, and even after following those there is no pregnancy.

Like many women who are hoping to conceive, you will hear the standard advice: If you have regular (every 26-32 days) periods and are younger than 35, you should wait a year before consulting a doctor; if you're older than 35, wait just six months. Sound rationale backs up this advice, as half of couples trying to conceive will be pregnant by the end of six months, and 80 percent will be pregnant by the end of a year, according to most of the clinicians. Many will say, “The odds are in your favor. Knowing exactly when you ovulate can boost those odds.”

When to take the next step

If you're still not pregnant after six months to a year of properly timed intercourse, see your gynecologist, who can perform or recommend several simple tests, including hormone- level blood tests for you and a semen analysis for your husband. "A sperm count is a non-invasive, easy and relatively inexpensive test. It tells when the problem lies with the guy, not the gal; 40 percent of infertility is what's known as 'male factor.'"

Another common, relatively non-invasive test, a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), occasionally has an unexpected upside: While it's used to determine if there's a blockage in one or both of the fallopian tubes (thus preventing egg and sperm from meeting), there's a slightly increased conception rate afterward, as the procedure itself sometimes clears small blockages. Your gynecologist also may prescribe the oral ovulation-stimulating drug Clomid.

If these steps don't help you get pregnant, your next one should be a consultation with a fertility specialist, or reproductive endocrinologist (R.E.). Most patients get recommendations from their gynecologist. These physicians can perform more specialized tests and procedures.

When to act immediately

While six months to a year is the standard time to wait before seeing a doctor about fertility issues, here are some circumstances in which you shouldn't wait:

• Negative ovulation-predictor kit test results for two consecutive months.
• Signs of hormonal fluctuations, such as experiencing nighttime hot flashes or irregular intervals between periods.
• Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), such as excess facial hair, light periods, thinning hair, acne, irregular cycles or steady weight gain.
• A family or personal history of endometriosis, which is linked to infertility.
• A short luteal phase, indicated by getting your period 13 days or less after a positive result on a urine ovulation kit.

If you have any of these issues don’t delay, rush to your doctor.