Fertility issues

[princessa]

I've been faced with thoughts of having our own family (me and my husband have no kids yet). We've been married a little over a year. We are financially well (paying off debt this year then moving to our own place). My husband wants a baby as much as I do. We have never used protection (except the first few times in Sept. 2007)....My periods have always been irregular..we didn't try to get pregnant but we weren't trying to avoid it either. So almost 2 years of intimacy and no pregnancy. My periods have been as follows:0=no period and #=period.

2007: January 0, February 0, March #, April 0, May #, June 0, July #, August 0, September #, October 0, November 0, December 0.

2008: January #, February 0, March 0, April #, May 0, June 0, July #, August 0, September #, October had a little spotting for maybe 2 days but no period, November spotting that lasted a few weeks...very very light pink, December spotting continued into December from November but only a little bit...no period.

2009: January 0, February 0, March 0, April 0, May 0, June 0, July 0

So I've basically gone almost a full year with no periods. It's very odd if you ask me. I never had it normal but still it's been odd. I also have some symptoms of PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Symdrome). Such symptoms are the period issue (irregular or absent...mine are absent at the moment), acne-mainly chin/jaw line (definitely have that at times-never have acne anywhere else really-always have a baby face really), obesity (always have trouble with weight but history of eating problems so that could be part of it), unexplained weight gain/loss + not easy to lose or gain weight (definitely, but most women have that kind of issue I think), abnormal hair (the womanly mustache comes sometimes lol), skin tags-especially on the neck/armpits area(annoying things that I've gotten since I was about 15/16), elevated blood pressure (is high at times...in the past at least). There's other symptoms but some woman can have just the period problem and still have PCOS. I've read a lot about it and it can cause infertility.

Husband and I don't have medical insurance yet(his work offers it but it costs too much so we are on a waiting list for some) so can't see a doctor yet. I'm just worried that I am the cause of the fertility issues. I mean we aren't totally trying to get pregnant but we aren't avoiding it. Most couples who use no protection for one year...end up pregnant within that one year...so almost two years and nothing...little odd. A friend of the family ...always used protection with her husband and one time some months back...didn't and ended up pregnant...she's almost 5 months along now.

I know some people don't want kids and that's fine for them, but I was practically born to be a mother. I want to be as good a mother as my mom was to me(she died due to cancer complications a few years ago). I guess I just needed to get this all down. My head isn't spinning so badly now.

[Brandye]

Do not jump to any conclusions or diagnose yourself. Each condition you describe has several possible causes. The conditions may or may not be related. Without a full medical history and a battery of tests, no one can really tell what is going on with you.

Your record keeping is admirable and any doctor you eventually do see will appreciate the detail. Of 100 women having unprotected sex regularly, more than eighty will become pregnant within a year and more than ninety in two years. It is at this point that special testing and actions will be considered.

I am glad that your posting, alone, has made you feel better. Little can be said or done until you get to a doctor and fertility specialist. Good luck.

[dancingdoc2]

> Husband and I don't have medical insurance yet (his work offers it but it costs too much so we are on a waiting list for some) so can't see a doctor yet.

That being able to afford hospital delivery costs, cost of possible complications, raising an infant (being able to afford diapers, formula, doctor visits, clothing, and all the ancillary equipment babies need to go from here to there) that you may not have planned and prepared sufficiently.

Please read this article as it poses questions about these issues.

I think we are ready to live together!!

This article contains a checklist for various aspects of living together. Give it a read and see if you have your bases covered.
Please pay particular notice to Part 2, #5.

[princessa]

I know PCOS may not be what's wrong with me but I've looked at every possible thing and it makes the most sense. We'll see at some point I guess.

The only reason we don't have the insurance is because his work insurance is more than double the cost of the insurance we are getting (on waiting list). We already established 'personal accident' insurance and dental insurance through his work. We also live in a state where if a woman is pregnant and without medical coverage then it's automatically covered (usually the insurance we are on a waiting list for would be automatically established because of pregnancy).

We've lived together since Sept. 2007 and talked even before that of our life together. We planned a lot of stuff over this time. The when to have kids is an issue as we have fertility concerns now and we want to have 2-4 kids. I'm 24 and when I reach 30 my risk for breast cancer goes up (my mom had it...twice so already at risk) and if we had a baby before then it wouldn't hurt the risk as bad. Plus we don't want to be too old when we have kids.

I read that article. It's interesting. I think my husband and I have covered a lot of that. Right now we aren't planning for a baby, but we aren't avoiding it. I want to know what is wrong with me ..if anything (maybe it's just odd luck-my periods being practically nonexistent and all). Just waiting for the insurance (waiting list shouldn't be too bad). We use a budget of course, but do stray from time to time as we can-still young with no kids yet so straying isn't that bad. We pay all our bills first though.

Thank you for replying and showing me that article.