The Doctors’ Lisa Masterson, M.D., Gives Us the Facts About Getting Pregnant

It’s tough when you feel as if you’ve tried everything – and still no baby. I’ve talked with more than one couple about this during my years as a health writer, and heard their desperation as they search for reliable information and answers. To help light the way, I decided to run a few common fertility myths by Lisa Masterson, M.D. She’s an OB-GYN and fertility specialist on staff at Cedars Sinai and UCLA, and a co-host of the popular daytime television show The Doctors. She helped clear up a few misconceptions.

If your period is regular, you’re fertile. It’s true that a regular menstrual period is a good indicator of overall health, and likely means your hormones are in good balance and that you’re ovulating. “A woman’s period is a vital sign for her,” says Masterson. But she’s quick to point out that there are many other factors involved in fertility, including whether your fallopian tubes are working properly, egg quality (especially in older women), and male factors.

If you haven’t become pregnant after three months of trying, something must be wrong. “That’s absolutely a fallacy, because we know usually it takes a year,” says Masterson. If you’re under 35 and don’t have any underlying health conditions, the breakdown goes like this: 30% of couples trying to conceive will be pregnant within three months, 50% within six months and 90% within 12 months. But remember that fertility declines with age. “Over 40, you’re behind the eight-ball,” Masterson says, adding doctors will often have women ages 40 and up start working with a fertility specialist right away. Click here to read about more fertility myths …