Forum Baby wish

Short cycle of 23 days, when should I see the GP?

3 replies

Kirsten 1986Guest ·
Who has experience with a short cycle? I have a cycle of 23-25 days. We've been trying for about 8 months to get our first baby. My partner had an undescended testicle as a child and was operated on for it. His testicle regularly shoots into his groin. I'm wondering if I even ovulate. From day 7 to 15 with a Clearblue ovulation test, no smiley. My partner hasn't been checked for sperm quality. How long can we wait before going to the GP?

Replies

  1. Ellatje #2

    I can only share my story with you and tell you: if you feel like you need to move forward with this, then do it.

    I’m Belgian, not sure where you’re from, but in Belgium it seems easier to get referred.

    My husband and I stopped the pill in November 2016.
    In the first cycle I didn’t use ovulation tests, but after that I did, for about 10 cycles in a row. The first cycle was 30 days, then it gradually decreased to an average of 26. Sometimes 24, usually 26.
    I noticed that I did ovulate, but had a short luteal phase.
    In August I went to my GP because I found it strange that I wasn’t pregnant yet (after 11 cycles).
    She advised us to keep trying for another half year.
    I went against her advice, since we’re not getting any younger (I’m 35), and made an appointment with a gynecologist.
    At first glance, everything seemed fine with me. I already have 2 children, so in principle I can get pregnant.
    I had blood drawn, my husband brought in a sperm sample, and later a second time, because no sperm cells were found, meaning he’s infertile.
    In my blood, some small things were also found; my thyroid isn’t working well, but compared to my husband’s situation, it’s nothing.

    I’m not saying this is the case for you either, but just follow your gut feeling. If everything is okay, even better!
    But if I had followed my GP’s advice, we would have been trying for another half year, probably full of frustration, because of course when you can’t get pregnant, the chance is 0.0.
    I’m ‘glad’ I went to the gynecologist so quickly, even though the diagnosis was a shock for us.

  2. Kirsten 1986 started this #3

    Hi ellatje, I’m almost 32 and live in the Netherlands. Indeed, in the Netherlands, referrals aren’t made that quickly. Around December 2016, we started trying to get pregnant. At the beginning of this summer, a blood test I requested due to fatigue showed that my vitamin D levels were way too low. Because of this, I had to take a high dose of vitamin D and was advised not to try for pregnancy for a while. My levels are now back on track, but there’s some uncertainty because I’ve never seen two clear lines on previous ovulation tests. This cycle, I tested with a digital ovulation meter, and again, no positive result. Combined with the question of whether my partner’s sperm might be affected by his undescended testicle, and the fact that I’m almost 32, it’s quite nerve-wracking. We’ve decided to start testing from day 6 of the next cycle. If that doesn’t give a positive result, we’ll go to the GP for a referral. Meanwhile, several women in my circle are pregnant, and I’m really happy for them. It’s just the uncertainty that sometimes makes me feel sad.

  3. Annoniem1990 Guest #4

    Hi Kirsten,

    We've been trying to have kids since October 2016. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out for us either. After trying for 9 months, we went to the GP because my husband had done a home test for sperm quality, which turned out to be negative. Our GP said she'd never heard of those tests and was quite skeptical about their reliability, but she still referred my husband to have his semen analyzed at the hospital for peace of mind. It turned out to be perfectly fine.

    I have a short menstrual cycle myself, averaging 24 days. I think I used an ovulation test 3 or 4 times, and I always got a positive result. I always tested in the morning with the first urine of the day starting from day 6, and my ovulation usually happened on day 10 or 11.

    I've just finished all the tests at the hospital (they only wanted to test me after we'd been trying for a year). Everything was fine with me, although they were worried that I might not have a good ovulation due to my short cycle.

    If I were you, I'd make an appointment with the GP. They tested my blood for a certain hormone that indicates whether or not you ovulate. Maybe your GP can arrange this test already, even if you haven't been trying for a full year yet. As I said, my husband had his sperm tested after 9 months. They didn't want to test me then because I had positive ovulation tests, and the full examination for a woman is more invasive.

    Hope my answer helps you out.

    Best wishes!

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