# When to get fertility help

> The timelines, the tests, and what happens next.

Category: Fertility & TTC · 5 min read · Written by the Splash team · Sources checked October 2026
URL: https://splash.care/learn/fertility-ttc/when-to-see-specialist

## Quick answer

- NHS and NICE: see a GP after a year of trying, sooner if 36+.
- Known concerns mean you can go at any time, and with insemination after 6 cycles.
- Both partners should be assessed.
- Your tracking data is genuinely useful to bring along.

Knowing when to ask for help is half the battle. Asking early isn’t overreacting – it’s smart. Here’s what UK and US guidance says.

**1 in 6** Adults worldwide affected by infertility in their lifetime (WHO)

## The timelines

- NHS: see [your GP](https://splash.care/learn/conditions/talk-to-your-doctor) if you haven’t conceived after 1 year of regular unprotected sex
- NHS and NICE: go sooner if you’re 36 or over – NICE says you should be offered a specialist referral when you first ask, rather than waiting a year
- Using artificial insemination (for example with donor sperm) and no known cause: NICE says to ask for assessment after 6 cycles of insemination
- ACOG (US): evaluation after 12 months if under 35, after 6 months if 35+, and sooner if over 40
- Anytime: if you have a known reason for concern

## Reasons to go sooner

- [Irregular](https://splash.care/learn/cycle-basics/irregular-cycles) or absent periods
- Very painful periods or suspected [endometriosis](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/endometriosis)
- Past pelvic infection or [STI](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/sti)
- Previous cancer treatment
- Known sperm issues in a partner
- You’re in a same-sex relationship or planning to use donor sperm – a fertility clinic can talk through your options before you start
- You’ve had a miscarriage or [ectopic pregnancy](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/ectopic-pregnancy) while trying – NICE says the clock does not restart, so the time you have already been trying still counts

## What the GP might do

Expect questions about your cycles, sex, [contraception](https://splash.care/learn/contraception/methods-overview) history, medicines and lifestyle – for both partners. First tests often include blood tests to check [hormones](https://splash.care/learn/cycle-basics/hormones-explained) and [ovulation](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/ovulation), a [Semen analysis](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/semen-analysis), and STI checks. You may then be referred to a fertility clinic for scans or tube tests.

> **Splash says:** bring your Splash cycle history – period dates, LH results and BBT charts give your doctor a head start!

Treatments range from medicines to help [ovulation](https://splash.care/learn/phases/ovulation), to surgery, to IUI and IVF. In the UK, the HFEA explains every option, and NICE guideline NG257 (published March 2026, replacing CG156) sets out who should be offered what on the NHS. NICE says IVF should be offered if you are under 42 and either have a diagnosed cause that other treatments cannot fix, or have unexplained fertility problems and have not conceived after 2 years. Under 40, that means up to 3 full cycles; at 40 or 41, 1 full cycle. What your local NHS area actually funds can be different, so ask your GP or clinic what applies where you live.

### When to see a doctor

Get urgent help (call 111 or go to A&E) if you could be pregnant and have one-sided tummy pain, shoulder-tip pain, bleeding, or feel faint – these can be signs of an ectopic pregnancy.

**Quick quiz:** Under NHS guidance, a 37-year-old trying to conceive should see a GP…

1. Only after 2 years
2. Sooner than the usual 1 year
3. Never without a partner

Answer: Sooner than the usual 1 year. The NHS advises people aged 36 and over to seek help sooner than the standard year.

## Sources

1. [NHS – Infertility: diagnosis](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/infertility/diagnosis/)
2. [NICE NG257 – Fertility problems: assessment and treatment (March 2026, replaces CG156)](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng257)
3. [ACOG – Evaluating infertility](https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/evaluating-infertility)
4. [WHO – Infertility fact sheet](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infertility)
5. [HFEA – Explore fertility treatments](https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/explore-all-treatments/)
6. [NHS – Ectopic pregnancy](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ectopic-pregnancy/)

This is general information, not medical advice. Splash can’t diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US).