Having trouble getting pregnant?

…You are not alone.

One in six Irish couples, of reproductive age, experience difficulties conceiving a child. If you and your partner have been trying to become pregnant for 12 months unsuccessfully, it is time to talk with your General Practitioner, and sooner if you are over 35 years of age.

Infertility is defined by the World Health Organisation as the inability of a couple to achieve conception after a 12 month period of unprotected intercourse.

The growing trend for Irish women to delay childbearing is having a significant impact on their individual fertility, and consequent need for fertility treatment.

The average age of women having their first child in Ireland today is 29 and rising all the time. In 1978 this figure was 25 years. Consequently the numbers of women seeking fertility treatment is also rising.

Today, fertility treatment accounts for 1.5 – 2.0 % of all babies born in Ireland. Assisted Reproductive Technology encapsulates a range of techniques. Many couples experiencing fertility problems will require IUI (intrauterine insemination), IVF (in vitro fertilisation) or ICSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection). These treatments are becoming mainstream as more and more couples seek assistance in starting their families.