When to see a fertility specialist
It depends on your age and history.

How long to try before getting evaluated

Not waiting too long matters just as much as not giving up too soon. The 12 or 6 month rule is only the starting point: you need to know your own cutoff, because it isn't the same for every TTC woman.

Cutoffs as given in Chapter 29. The 12 and 6 month definition comes from ESHRE, ASRM and NICE.

These are cutoffs for getting evaluated, not deadlines for giving up. If you are 35 or older, the reasons the clock runs faster are covered on its own page.

“Fertility specialist” isn't one specialty

There are several kinds of professionals, and choosing the right one matters:

• General gynecologist. Handles the preconception visit and the initial workup, orders basic tests and usually refers you to a specialist if a specific problem turns up. A good first point of entry.
• Gynecologist with specialty training in reproductive medicine. The ideal professional for most cases. Can run a complete workup and handle low- and mid-complexity treatments. The most common path.
• Physician at an assisted reproduction clinic. Specialized in IVF, ICSI and advanced procedures. The better fit when the workup has already shown a need for assisted reproduction, or when complex factors are at play.
• Urologist (for him). When the semen analysis is abnormal or his history suggests a male factor. Ideally one with specialty training in reproductive medicine. Essential if male factor is involved.

This is one chapter. The map has 42.

This is Chapter 29 of Map to the Positive, the opening of Station IV, Signs. From here the book goes on to the red flags that call for immediate evaluation, how to choose the right doctor, the tests of the advanced workup, the most common diagnoses and the treatments available, from the simplest up to assisted reproduction.