The journey
Just curious
Wondering if something's wrong, or just starting to look into it.
If you've landed here, you might be a few months into trying, or simply turning over a quiet worry. That's a completely reasonable place to start — most people know very little about fertility until they need to, and the internet rarely makes it calmer.
There's no decision to make today. The aim of this stage is just to understand the basics in plain language: what's normal, what's worth paying attention to, and when it's reasonable to speak to a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice — it's orientation, so the rest of the journey feels less unfamiliar.
Good places to start
- AMH test (anti-Mullerian hormone)A blood test that estimates how many eggs you have left.
- Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)A blood test that roughly estimates how many eggs you have left.
- Antral follicle count (AFC)An ultrasound count of resting follicles that helps estimate ovarian reserve.
- EndometriosisA condition where tissue like the womb lining grows outside the uterus.
- Endometriosis and fertilityA condition where tissue like the womb lining grows outside the uterus.
- IUI (intrauterine insemination)Prepared sperm is placed directly into the uterus around ovulation.
- IUI (intrauterine insemination)Prepared sperm placed directly into the uterus around ovulation.
- IUI vs IVF vs ICSI: which treatment, and whenIUI is the simplest and cheapest option, placing prepared sperm in the uterus; it suits mild male-factor or unexplained infertility but has a lower success rate per cycle. IVF is more involved and has higher success, and is the better first step when there is a clear reason such as blocked tubes, severe male factor, endometriosis, low ovarian reserve, or older age. ICSI is a version of IVF used mainly for male-factor problems, not a separate or automatically better option. The right choice depends on your diagnosis and age, not on which sounds best.
- IVF (in vitro fertilisation)Eggs and sperm are combined in a lab, and an embryo is placed in the uterus.
- IVF (in vitro fertilisation)Eggs collected and fertilised in a lab, with an embryo placed in the uterus.
- Low AMH and diminished ovarian reserveHaving fewer eggs remaining than expected for your age.
- Male-factor infertilityWhen a problem with sperm contributes to difficulty conceiving.
- Ovarian reserveThe pool of eggs you have remaining, estimated by AMH and antral follicle count.
- PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)A common hormonal condition that can disrupt ovulation.
- Questions to ask your fertility clinicBefore you commit to a clinic or a treatment, the right questions protect you. Ask about your diagnosis and whether IVF is really needed, how the clinic reports success rates (live births per transfer, for your age group), who performs your procedures, the full itemised cost in writing, the evidence behind any add-ons, and your rights under India's ART Act. A good clinic welcomes every one of these questions.
- Semen analysisA lab test of sperm count, movement, and shape.
- Unexplained infertilityWhen standard tests find no clear cause for infertility.
- What an IVF cycle looks like, step by stepAn IVF cycle usually runs about four to six weeks of active treatment. You take hormone injections for around 8 to 14 days to grow several eggs, have a timed trigger injection, then a short procedure to collect the eggs. The eggs are fertilised in the lab, the embryos grow for five to six days, and one is placed in the uterus. About two weeks later, a blood test shows whether it worked. This guide walks through each step in plain language, with what to expect, realistic numbers, and what to do if a cycle does not go to plan.
- What ART clinic registration meansEvery fertility clinic in India is required to register with the National ART and Surrogacy Registry under the ART (Regulation) Act 2021. Registration means a clinic is on the official government register and has been given a level: L1 for basic ART such as IUI, or L2 for advanced ART including IVF and ICSI. It confirms a clinic's legal standing. It does not, on its own, tell you how good the clinic is or what its success rates are.
- When to see a fertility specialistAs a general guide, see a fertility specialist after about a year of trying if you are under 35, after about six months if you are 35 to 39, and without delay if you are 40 or over. Go sooner at any age if you have irregular or absent periods, a known condition such as PCOS or endometriosis, two or more miscarriages, a history that affects fertility, or a known sperm problem. Seeing a specialist is an assessment of both partners, not an automatic step to IVF.