Struggling to Get Pregnant? Get Free Expert Advice at This Month's UK Fertility Show
If every month feels like another door closing, you are not alone, and you are not out of options. Here is what you need to know.
8 May 20269m
Dr Sukalpa Rathore
Medical content writer with dental expertise (BDS, MSc in F. Odont.), focused on cross-border healthcare.
Struggling to get pregnant can feel confusing, isolating, and at times, deeply overwhelming. You may find yourself questioning what is going wrong, wondering if you are missing something, or silently carrying the weight of repeated disappointment each month.
Fertility struggles are far more common than most people realise. According to the NHS, approximately 1 in 7 couples in the United Kingdom experience difficulty trying to conceive. That is millions of people navigating a deeply emotional journey, often in silence, often without the right guidance, and often without knowing where to turn next.
If you have been trying to conceive for months or even years without success, the emotional weight can be difficult to carry, especially during the anxious two-week wait. The appointments leave more questions than answers, and it can feel as though everyone around you is moving forward while you remain stuck
But here is something important: struggling with fertility does not mean you are out of options. It means you need the right fertility support, at the right time, from the right people.
Knowing When to Seek Fertility Help Can Change Everything
One of the most common questions couples ask is: When is the right time to seek fertility help?
The NHS recommends speaking with your GP if you have been trying to conceive for over a year without success or after six months if you are over 35. But if your cycles are irregular, if you have a prior diagnosis, or if something simply does not feel right, reaching out early is never the wrong decision.
Fertility help can take many forms. A strong starting point typically includes:
- Blood tests to assess hormone levels and ovarian reserve
- Ultrasound scans to examine the ovaries and the uterine structure
- Semen analysis to evaluate sperm count, motility, and morphology
- A full consultation with a fertility specialist who can assess both partners together
The earlier you access the right support, the more options remain open to you. Asking for fertility help is not giving up on conceiving naturally. It is giving yourself the best possible chance.
What Actually Matters When You Are Trying to Conceive
From the moment most of us are teenagers, we are led to believe that getting pregnant is straightforward, almost inevitable. So when it does not happen as expected, it can feel confusing and difficult to understand what might be affecting the process.
In reality, conception depends on several factors working together at the right time. Ovulation needs to occur regularly, egg and sperm quality need to be healthy, the uterus needs to support implantation, and hormones need to remain balanced throughout the cycle. When any one of these is not functioning as expected, it can take longer to conceive.
According to the NHS, most couples trying to conceive will do so within a year. For others, the process may take longer, and understanding the reasons becomes important.
Getting pregnant is not always about simply continuing to try. In many cases, it is about identifying what may be affecting your reproductive health and taking the right steps with appropriate guidance.
Unable to Conceive And Carrying More Than Just Questions
There is a particular kind of emotional weight that comes with being unable to conceive. It sits in a space that is rarely acknowledged - deeply personal, often unspoken, and difficult to fully explain to others.
If you have been unable to conceive for months or longer, the experience can begin to shape your everyday life in quiet but significant ways:
- The anxiety that builds before every pregnancy announcement
- Social situations are gradually feeling more difficult to navigate
- The repeated cycle of hope followed by quiet disappointment
- The subtle distance that can emerge between partners as each processes things differently
What is important to recognise is this:
- Being unable to conceive is not a reflection of how much you want it
- It is a medical situation, often with identifiable causes
- In many cases, there are clear and effective pathways to move forward
Research published in Human Reproduction indicates that couples who receive timely specialist intervention see significantly improved outcomes compared to those who wait.
Clarity changes everything, and the sooner you seek it, the better your next steps become.
Why the Word "Infertility" Feels So Heavy And What It Actually Means
The word infertility tends to land heavily. For many couples, hearing it for the first time feels like a verdict rather than a diagnosis. But infertility is a medical term, not a life sentence, and understanding what it actually means can be genuinely freeing.
Infertility is clinically defined as the inability to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months of regular, unprotected intercourse. According to the World Health Organisation, it affects approximately 48 million couples globally. In practice, infertility can be linked to a range of factors:
- Hormonal imbalances affecting ovulation
- Structural factors within the reproductive system
- Age-related changes in fertility
- Unexplained infertility, where standard investigations do not identify a specific cause
Unexplained infertility is not a dead end. It usually indicates that a more specialised approach is needed. What often makes infertility feel heavier than it should is the silence around it, the lack of open conversation, the sense of personal responsibility many couples carry, and the hesitation in seeking timely fertility support.
Seeking help is not something to delay. It is a practical step towards understanding your situation and moving forward with clarity.
Trying to Conceive Is a Shared Journey and Here Is Why That Matters
Infertility is still, far too often, framed as a woman's concern, but it is not. Fertility advice for couples is most effective when both partners are involved from the beginning, not just for medical accuracy, but for the health of the relationship itself. In practice, this means approaching the process together:
- Being present in consultations and discussions
- Understanding the situation as a shared medical concern
- Making decisions with the same information and clarity
This creates a more complete clinical picture and helps prevent the quiet distance that can build when one partner carries the experience alone.
Meet our Fertility Specialist
IVF
Dr Madhurima Rajkhowa
Birmingham, UK
24+ years of experience
- Consultant Gynaecologist & Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine, UK
- MD (Reproductive Medicine), MD (OBG), FRCOG
Why Access to Fertility Care in the UK Still Feels Out of Reach
The United Kingdom has world-class fertility medicine. The challenge is not quality, it is access. For many couples, this gap becomes clear in the structure of care itself:
- NHS funding for IVF options varies significantly by region, meaning access often depends on where you live rather than purely on medical need
- Eligibility criteria can be restrictive, with limitations based on age, previous children, or specific health conditions
- Waiting lists frequently extend beyond 12 months, delaying both diagnosis and treatment at a stage where time can be important
- Private care offers faster timelines, but costs can quickly escalate across consultations, investigations, and multiple treatment cycles
For couples in the United Kingdom navigating this system, the challenge is not a lack of medical capability, but the difficulty of accessing it at the right time and in a way that feels manageable.
Trying to Conceive Without Losing Your Sense of Hope
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After months or years of trying to conceive, hope can begin to feel uncertain, something you hold onto carefully, rather than something that feels natural. What helps shift that is not time alone, but the presence of clarity and the right support. That shift often begins when couples actively engage with their fertility journey:
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Moving from uncertainty to understanding by identifying what may be affecting their ability to conceive
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Replacing repeated trial and error with informed decisions based on medical insight
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Exploring appropriate options, including investigations or treatment pathways, at the right time
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Gaining a clearer sense of direction rather than continuing without answers
Couples who take this approach often find that the process becomes more manageable, not because it is easier, but
because it is clearer. This is where access to the right conversation matters. Events like the UK Fertility Show on 13th May are designed to provide that starting point - a space to ask questions, understand your situation, and begin moving forward with greater confidence.
Get FREE Personalised Fertility Guidance with TMTC at the UK Fertility Show on 16th May
If you are looking for clarity, not just information, this is where that shift begins. On 16th and 17th May 2026, TMTC will be at the UK Fertility Show in Upper West Hall, Olympia, London. Our team of trained UK and NHS fertility specialists will be available for face-to-face consultations, on-the-spot report reviews, and personalised guidance, at no cost to you.
Here is what TMTC is bringing to the show:
- Free Fertility Consultation - Speak directly with a specialist and get clear, actionable answers
- Expert Advice from Top Fertility Specialists - UK- and NHS-trained clinicians with focused experience in reproductive health
- On-the-Spot Guidance for Your Case - Advice tailored to your specific situation, not general recommendations
- Personalised Fertility Feedback - Leave with a clearer understanding of your fertility health and next steps
- Bring Your Reports, Get Instant Review - Get your existing tests and scans reviewed and explained on the spot
- Consult with Dr Madhurima Rajkhowa, a Renowned Fertility Specialist - Access one of the most experienced specialists in our network
- Limited Slots Available - Early registration is recommended to secure your consultation
This is not just an event. It is an opportunity to move from uncertainty to clarity, with the right guidance, at the right time.
How TMTC Supports Your Fertility Journey
For many couples, accessing timely fertility care can be as challenging as the condition itself. Waiting lists, delayed diagnoses, and high private treatment costs often slow down the process when clarity is most needed.
TMTC connects patients with UK- and NHS-trained fertility specialists and internationally accredited clinics, offering timely access to treatment without long delays and at significantly lower cost than comparable UK private care. Every stage of the journey is coordinated, from initial consultation to treatment and follow-up.
Your Journey with TMTC
- Initial Consultation - A UK-trained fertility specialist reviews your history, reports, and concerns to guide next steps
- Personalised Treatment Plan - A tailored approach is developed based on your specific reproductive health and goals
- Pre-Treatment Coordination - Travel, documentation, and medical preparation are organised in advance
- Arrival and On-Ground Support - You are received, supported, and guided through every step without having to manage logistics alone
- Treatment - Care is delivered at NABH-accredited fertility centres under experienced specialists
- Recovery and Aftercare - 24/7 medical support, personalised care, and structured follow-up throughout your stay
- Return and Ongoing Support - Continued guidance and follow-up managed by your specialist after you return home
For couples seeking clarity, timely care, and a structured pathway, TMTC ensures continuity from consultation through treatment to aftercare, without unnecessary delays or uncertainty.
Moving Forward with Clarity and Confidence
You have carried this long enough on your own. The questions you have been sitting with, the results you have not fully understood, the options you have not yet explored, all of that can begin to change in a single conversation with the right specialist.
The UK Fertility Show on 13th May 2026 is not just an event. For many couples, it becomes the point where uncertainty begins to ease, when trying to conceive starts to feel less like a guessing process and more like a considered plan.
The Medical Travel Company (TMTC) supports individuals throughout their fertility journey by connecting them with specialists and coordinating personalised treatment pathways, because meaningful progress begins with clarity, consistency, and the right guidance.
TMTC will be there with expertise, warmth, and a genuine commitment to helping you move forward. Come with your questions and reports.
Sources
- NHS. (2023). Infertility - Overview. National Health Service, United Kingdom.
- NHS. (2023). Infertility - Causes. National Health Service, United Kingdom
- World Health Organisation. (2023). Infertility Prevalence Estimates, 1990-2021. WHO Global Report.
- Boivin, J., Bunting, L., Collins, J.A., & Nygren, K.G. (2007). International estimates of infertility prevalence and treatment-seeking: potential need and demand for infertility medical care. Human Reproduction, 22(6), 1506-1512.
- NICE. (2013, updated 2017). Fertility problems: assessment and treatment. NICE Clinical Guideline CG156.
Medically Reviewed By:
Dr Piyush Das
Experience: 10+ Years
Department: General Practitioner, Industrial Health & Occupational Medicine
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