Deciding to start a family is a big step, but once the decision is taken, most people just want to know how long it will take. We talk to Annette Briley, who is a Senior Research Midwife, about how long it may take and also what you can do if no baby appears.

It would apear that conception is a bit of a lottery. Annette says, "it varies enormously from person to person. Some women get pregnant straight away, but then it is not uncommon for others to take up to a year". This is borne out by statistics which suggest that around 85% of couples will have managed to conceive a baby within a year. Annette suggests that it can be very hard to predict how quickly a woman will conceive as this is dependent on many factors and no couple will know just how fertile they are until they begin to try for their first child together. Managing to conceive the first child is often the hardest for most couples", although she goes on to add that just because a woman has been fertile with one partner does not mean that she will automatically conceive when trying again in a new relationship. Sometimes a woman may have had no problem conceiving in one relationship, but with a new partner may have more difficulty. Equally, some women have found that conception with one partner proved difficult but with a new partner they conceived quite quickly.

Getting caught out

While there are couples who may take a few months to conceive,a significant number of couples conceive in their first month. This can come as a shock to couples who believe that it always takes a few months before the woman will fall pregnant. Annette reminds couples that nature can play tricks and often women become pregnant whey they least expect it. "Some people are caught out, but if you stop using contraception and you desperately don't want a baby at a certain time, perhaps because you have a holiday booked, you should use condoms in this time".

Seeking Help

Many women are not sure how long they should wait before consulting their dcotor if they have not conceived. "We used to advise women to wait for a couple of years, but this has changed", Annette explains, "Waiting for such a time can be very stressful for couples and so we now feel that you should see your doctor when you are beginning to get worried and that it is taking over your life. For most women, this is often towards the end of their first year of trying. A visit to the doctor can feel daunting but there are ways of preparing for the visit. Annette suggests that it is helpful if you have kept a diary of your periods or have an idea about your menstrual cycle. The doctor is likely to ask you about your menstrual cycle, the date of your last period and the more information that you have the better. This will help the doctor make an initial assessment. Nowadays many women choose to have their first babies later and often question how long they should wait if they have not conceived. Annette says, "women can get pregnant into their forties, but age does affect fertility and women who are older often feel a bit more under pressure as their body clock is ticking. It may be helpful for them to consult a doctor earlier rather than later if they have concerns.

Annette is also keen to remind women that while they are waiting to conceive, there are positive things that they can do in order to boost their chances not only of conception, but also of having a healthy baby. Women should try and get themselves into good physical shape, eat well and also to cut down on smoking and alcohol. It is important that they check with their doctor whether or not they need a rubella (german measles) injection. Contracting rebella in pregnancy can cause problems for the unborn child.