You and your partner have made the decision to start your family. It’s been months since you’ve been trying to conceive, and none of the suggested methods seem to be helping. Each year you grow older, the chances of you being able to get pregnant decreases. If you’ve been having difficulty conceiving, it may be time to visit a fertility expert. Here are some signs that you and your partner might need to make an appointment at your one of you local fertility clinics.

Women who are in their 20s are the most fertile, but as a female grows into her mid-30s and 40s, her chances to conceive get smaller and smaller. If you are trying to conceive in a later stage of life, it’s advisable to seek a fertility expert to ensure both partners body’s are ready and able to conceive.

An irregular menstrual cycle can also be another indication that there may be a problem that’s complicating the conceiving process. This can be an indication that your uterus is damaged, making it difficult for the eggs to form. Other issues with the uterus can affect your ability to conceive too, such as previous abdominal surgery, tumors, or hormonal diseases such as issues with the thyroid.

If you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant for over a year, you’ll want to visit a center for reproductive medicine to see if there are any infertility treatments that are right for you. Be sure to have both partners checked out, as infertility can be an issue with either parent. Trying to conceive can be a very frustrating, but each year more and more babies are being born due to advances in infertility procedures. Talk to your local fertility expert to see what kind of treatments are best for you.