Will UK GPs perform fertility testing if you aren't TTC?

[DooDah]

We've been basically TTC for over a year now (regular, unprotected sex) on the premise that I won't conceive - as I had no luck when myself and my ex actually tried a couple of years ago.

But I've been having irregular bleeding and cramping on and off for the past couple of months and finally saw my GP today.

He agreed to run some blood work to check for basic stuff (eg, pregnancy and STIs lol) but I'm worried now about the fact that it's been so long with no bfp. Will the NHS run further testing unless you declare yourself as actually TTC?

Or should I just say that we are? My thinking is that if there is a problem I want to know now to properly consider my options, eg. I don't want any possible infertility situation to get worse.

 

[zazie]

If you've been having regular unprotected sex for a year they would count that as TTC, so they would do fertility tests. They don't make the ntnp distinctions that people on these forums do, whether you have been charting/opking etc or not they would still count it as ttc. After a year is a good time to do the tests, hopefully it will be nothing and is just taking a bit of time, but it is better to know for sure.

 

[Charmed86]

They should be able to send you to a fertility clinic for further tests. I was referred last time after around 6-8 months of no periods (I think it was 8 months by the time my appointment rolled around). I was having no periods after stopping the pill & it was confirmed that I just wasn't ovulating at all. Definitely worth asking for a referral to find out whether everything is as it should be & if not, then you can start working towards a solution. Most GPs will agree to refer a 'normal, regular' woman who hasn't conceived in a year, so given that you have irregular periods, that should be enough to get you a referral too Good luck xx

 

[NovemberSnow]

I agree with other posts, you would count as 'TTC' under the NHS rules even though you're not temping, using OPKs etc.

If you're under 35 you need to have been having regular, unprotected sex for a year before you go for testing, if you're over 35 they'll refer you for testing after six months. You can read more about it here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/fertility-tests.aspx

Hope you get your BFP soon!

 

[DooDah]

Thanks ladies, I had blood work done today and will get that back at the end of the week, not that I needed it Pregnancy = negative. STIs = negative.

I was bleeding in between cycles again last night though. It's really starting to worry me now. The doctor doesn't seem to think that I have PCOS or endometriosis, what else could cause this?

 

[spicyorange]

Could be a number of things, don't worry just yet they will get to the bottom of it. Good luck.