Fertility testing after 35

[LuckyFlash]

I have been TTC baby no.2 for 6 months. I am nearly 36 and husband is 43 so not feeling like time is on our side. DD was conceived on the second month so wasn’t really anticipating issues. I have got a strong feeling something is not quite right. I have had some changes to my menstrual cycle recently and DH is also taking medication which is known to reduce sperm count.
we are going to speak to the dr as I understand they will see you after 6 months from 35. Can anyone tell me what to expect? Are there huge waits or are the tests straight forward? I’m worried about being dismissed as we already have a child who was easily conceived.
Alternatively thinking of doing one of those sperm test you can buy in boots. Has anyone tried these?
I know 6 months isn’t that long but it’s felt like it with all my close friends conceiving/having second children recently

Presumably this is private rather than NHS as it's your second child? You won't get anything useful in the nhs and it'll take ages.

I'd get the ball rolling if you can afford it and get all the tests (professionals not Boots).

Throw everything at it. I'm possibly biased as similar happened to us and we needed IVF to conceive dc2. Glad we didn't wait around as everything takes a very long time.

Also can your dh pause the medication at all? Reduced sperm count could be the issue.

I’m worried about being dismissed as we already have a child who was easily conceived.

If you go private you won't have any of this, they want your custom. You will however have to get used to hearing about your "infertility", which sounds weird when you conceived quickly first time. It's not necessarily something physically wrong with either of you but just describes a situation where a couple haven't conceived after a year of trying. Definitely something I didn't fully understand at the time.

I doubt you’d get anything on the NHS given you have a child already - some GP may refer you for tests but you won’t get IVF. Secondary fertility issues are very common. If you have changes to your cycles outside of what the NHS considers normal they should at least do the standard hormone testing on you. Worth discussing if you’d do IVF privately - we agreed we never would for a 2nd, can’t afford it and we don’t think it’s fair on the 1st child given the time and emotionally strain of IVF. But also, 6 months is really nothing to worry about at your ages

Thanks for the replies. I had (perhaps naively) assumed you still get investigative tests on the NHS regardless of whether you have a child already - is that not the case? I know you can’t get IVF but it’s a good point to think about whether that’s a path we want to go down because my gut reaction is no given the cost and emotional and physical toll.

just looked up private fertility MOTs and they’re £600! Blimey… might wait a few more months so we’re not throwing money away too early

It's an impossible gamble, isn't it... if there is a problem you want to get going asap but it could just be a matter of time!

I think the NHS might do the basics but it could take a while. You might have to think about what you would end up choosing to do if there was an issue that made it "unlikely" you'd conceive naturally.

We had ivf and it was expensive and not stress-free but not the life-ruining experience some seem to have. BUT that's because it was successful in the end so I've been able to see it as a means to an end. No doubt I'd feel differently without dc2.

Given that you know you can conceive, and you’re only 35 which isn’t hugely terrible, I would focus investigations on your husband, given his age and the medication. Could you have pay for a private sperm analysis?

Go to your GP, although ivf or treatment will be at a cost as you have a child, the tests and start of the process or blood test can be done through NHS.
They will start with day 3 and day 21 tests and go from there.
It is absolutely worth a try, good luck.

I think you should just keep trying, you've likely got a great chance at 35 with a past history of successful pregnancy.

For a general sense of things you could ask your GP for blood tests - they should be able to do FSH, LH, Oestrogen, Prolactin, TSH pretty quickly. Maybe even a semen analysis (I'd say forget the Boots option). If any concern from the results, you could then ask for a fertility referral and get AMH done privately. Plenty of ways you can be assisted without IVF coming into it.

Refused nhs tests as already had first child (needed nhs assistance and many years to conceive first)

I would caution against betting on 'it happened once, so it'll happen again'. Secondary infertility is real. I agree with PP though and start with looking at the male side. That was the issue for us.

Edited to add: That probably sounds more negative than intended! Of course there is a chance you will conceive again naturally, but by getting tests done you can get an idea of what sort of chance that is. Wishing you the best of luck.

Hi OP, I’m in a similar situation to you, trying to conceive second child. Have been for six months also. I have high prolactin levels, so am having blood tests to check those. But my GP has added two other fertility tests to my next set of
bloods to try and get to the bottom of it. I live in an area where IVF isn’t available to us even with first child - but my GPs have always been very quick to refer me for further tests. I would definitely try and speak to your GP. Mine have always been great. I’m 37, DH 45. Good luck!

At a small cost but probably much quicker you could do online private testing in the first instance - you can get fertility bloods for £145 from Hertility or some other services, I did day 21 progesterone with Superdrug, and there’s lots of
sperm tests although haven’t tried them myself.
id be surprised if GP didn’t do some initial testing - especially if you’ve had some changes to your cycle? Other end of the spectrum but GP did tests for me before TTC and at a younger age - I assumed they wouldn’t entertain it until one year of TTC but I was concerned my periods were changing and it might affect fertility so they happily did bloods. But doing it yourself might just be a bit quicker. And I found hertility gave me the analysis whereas gp just gave me the numbers which I struggled to understand

When I last looked at the NHS site I noticed the 6 months changed from 35 to 36 for some reason - it might have changed back. If you have a good GP they should order some basic tests based on the fact your cycle has changed.

I've decided to go have private fertility tests this month however they only do blood test for AMH. I'm more concerned about issues with my remaining tube though - I lost the other to ectopic last year. I'll ask my gp for the other tests if there's no issues with my tube.
I could have had those private tests on NHS but gynae wanted me to wait a few more months (it's been 10 cycles now) , and being 38 felt that I was wasting time if my other tube was blocked and needed IVF.

Thanks everyone for your replies, my doctor has agreed to see me for an assessment so hopefully moving in the right direction!