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At my pre-ttc appointment my GP said not to read any of the books out there on ttc (um yeah right) and to come back in a year if I wasn't pregnant.

The typical guidelines from medical professional organizations is 1yr TTC before testing. If you're over 35, they'll often start after only 6mos so as not to waste time.

I had similar testing to what you describe for long cycles when I was not TTC. I think maybe the 6-12 months that you hear is when it doesn't look like anything would hamper fertility (i.e., regular cycles, no other concerning side effects)?

at my preconception appointment with my obgyn, she said 6 months (and I was 28 at the time). but that's also because I've never had any issues with irregular cycles or any other problems--I think if I was worried about anything she'd be responsive even before 6 moths.

@IRunForFun: Yeah, I had regular cycles. I also think if after that appt I had noticed something off about my cycles, or wasn't getting positive opks or something like that it might have changed things..

I didn't need to wait that long. I had 2-3 months of no ovulation and took provera repeatedly to induce a period. So I called an RE and made an appointment. I thought I'd have to justify myself more, but I just said that I'd had a few months of no ovulation (proven with blood tests from my GYN) and she was like "ok, this is how we'll proceed."

I always tell people that if you have multiple months of irregular cycles, please see a doctor. I gave it 3 months after stopping BC and after having one normal-ish cycle at 43 days it never regulated. If the first doctor tells you to wait, bring your business to another doctor.

But just know you may need to pay for most of the services out of pocket. In my state there's mandatory insurance coverage for infertility services, but you first have to establish you have a problem. Most companies say a year for <35, and 6 months of 35 or greater, in otherwise healthy women. I have PCOS which counts as NOT otherwise healthy, but it took lots of money going to an RE to get that diagnosis.

I waited for 6 months because I was healthy but my DH has a medical condition that could be the reason why we were still not pregnant at that point. Also, I was off BC for a year before we started TTC.

I think before the 6 month mark, it could be known as normal. I think it's common to get pregnant before your 6 months mark.

I, personally, could not wait til the one year mark. Considering I was 27 and with no other health issues, I don't know why I should be having trouble.

Luckily, my Ob/gyn, agreed that I should see a specialist when I asked her at my annual pap smear, which was around the 6 month mark.

@IRunForFun: My OB/GYN wasn't willing to do anything until I was TTC for over a year. When I came off the pill, I hadn't gotten my period for 84 days. They wouldn't even consider seeing me until I had hit 90 days. I think it's just the norm.

Also, I know with our insurance that infertility isn't defined until a couple has been trying for 12 months or longer, or there are other known issues (like PCOS). If you are otherwise healthy, they wouldn't even cover infertility testing or treatment until after 12 months of TTC to meet the definition of infertility.

I think a lot of it depends on your history. When I told my gyn that DH and I wanted to TTC, she immediately referred me to an RE. But I also have a history of no cycle so we already knew we would need some interventions.

I think it both depends on the doctor and your personal history.

I went off bcp in November after almost 13 years on and have already been on clomid and hcg after finding pcos 2 months into ttc - my ob told us that everyone's plan for family is different and she respects if we want to wait it out or not and will work with us.