The first step is to confess that you have an infertility problem. What are your treatment options?

You have a number of choices, consult your physician about a treatment plan, starting with the least invasive options first. Your impulse may be to head straight for the most advanced and expensive treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), thinking you'll get pregnant faster. But cheaper therapies, such as fertility drugs or surgery, are often very effective. In fact, most of couples with fertility problems who have children were treated with drugs or surgery only.

Here's your treatment options, from the least to the most invasive:

• Fertility drugs:
  If your hormones are out of balance or in short supply, these drugs — for women andmen — can get your reproductive system back on track. They might even help if the cause of your fertility problem is unknown. And you can take them in conjunction with another treatment such as artificial insemination.
• Artificial insemination:
  If your partner's sperm just need help getting to your egg, placing a concentrated dose of sperm in your uterus at the proper time will improve your odds of getting pregnant.
• Surgery:
  If you have blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, fibroids, genetic defects, or ovarian cysts, a type of minor surgery performed with a fiber-thin tube called a laparoscope can help diagnose the problem or clear the way for you to conceive. However, surgery also can be more extensive and require an incision in your abdomen. But in many cases, surgery is unnecessary, and the chances of pregnancy may be greater with other treatment options.
• Assisted reproductive technology (ART):
  If the problem is a low sperm count or blocked fallopian tubes, or other treatments have failed, hi-tech procedures such as in vitro fertilization or IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSI, and, in rare cases, gamete intrafallopian transfer or GIFT, or zygote intrafallopian transfer or ZIFT can help you make a baby. Occasionally, your age or ovary function may require you to use an egg donor. You might even consider using a gestational carrier, or surrogate mother.

Finding out if you are fertile is important Here is a quick 12-Step program to assess your fertility.

1. Check HIS sperm count first. Testing his sperm count should be the very first test done for fertility. Up to 50% of infertile couples have a male problem and the sperm count is easy and ensures him an orgasm too. When in doubt, the female may not be the one responsible for the fertility problems. The male sperm count should be tested before she gets tested to determine whether the problem lies with a lower sperm count.
2. Track menstrual cycles . The cycle of your period is the best way to establish fertile times. If the cycle is regular, the ovulation time frame should generally be the same each month.
3. Determine ovulation cycle. Ovulation could occur on the 10th, 12th or 14th day after the first day of the menstrual cycle. Using a calendar, track your ovulation and have sex during the most fertile times.
4. Track lunar fertility cycles. The lunar fertility cycle is based on the moon phase at the time of your birth. Using an online lunar fertility phase calculator, the moon phase can be determined in the future. The lunar fertility day will be the same each month making conception all the easier.
5. Observe cervical mucus. Cervical mucus can determine when the female is most fertile. By placing the finger into the vagina, the mucus can be observed. If the mucus looks like egg whites, the time to have sex is now.
6. Have ovarian reserve testing. Ovarian reserve testing determines how many eggs are left to be released. This test can help to determine how fertile the female is and whether or not she will be able to conceive using her own eggs. If the ovarian reserve is too low for conception, an egg donor can be used in order to conceive.
7. Have FSH tested. FSH stands for follicle stimulating hormone. This test will determine if the FSH is being secreted in the proper amounts to support conception. Without the proper levels of FSH, the follicle may not be releasing eggs at the right time or at all. 
8. Have estradiol tested. Estradiol is closely related to estrogen. This hormone regulates the reproductive cycle. If estradiol levels are low, the chance of conception is also low.
9. Have LH tested. LH stands for luteinizing hormone. When the reproductive phase begins there is a sharp incline in the LH. This is referred to as the LH surge and the test is with an OPK, and ovulation predictor kit.
10. Have prolactin tested. Female hormones need to be in balance in order for fertility to be optimal. Prolactin is one of the female hormones that works with other hormones to optimize fertility. Prolactin is most commonly known as the hormone that stimulates milk production, but it also works to aid in fertility.
11. Have thyroid function tested. The thyroid gland can help or hinder fertility. If the gland if overproducing, the chance of miscarriage is higher.
12. Have integrin tested. Integrin is responsible for helping the fertilized egg to attach to the uterus. If the integrin level is lower than normal, the egg may be fertilizing but not attaching to the uterus creating a viable pregnancy. There are therapies that can be used to increase integrin levels and help the egg to attach properly.

Finding the right baby-maker is arguably the most important decision someone considering In Vitro Fertelization will make. So, from someone who has “been there, done that," here are five things to consider.

1. Consult those who HAVE been there.  Information on specific fertility specialists, feedback, and advice is available on-line. FertileThoughts, FertilityAuthority, causes . Internet is the world’s largest place to get fertility related issues and its content is mostly objective. If you were taking a vacation, you might consult trip advisor  before booking a hotel, right? So why not get some independent reviews of the candidates that might end up leading your baby quest?
2. Consult with several doctors before making a choice. Consultations can be costly, but some physicians will discount this fee, especially if another patient or doctor has referred you to his clinic. Some doctors don’t charge at all for this service. Check oversea options, searching for fertility treatment out side of your region might be opening you for new treatments and higher your chances to reach the baby goal.
3. After meeting the candidates, ask yourself three questions. Did you feel a gut level connection with the doctor?  Did he/she have a positive, proactive plan to get you there? Did you feel like the doctor was willing to become personally invested in helping you reach your baby goals?  If you answer “no” to any of these questions, keep looking, there are many fish in the sea.
4. Do your research. Is the doctor actually a Reproductive Endocrinologist? Some  obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN)  offer fertility services, but  Reproductive Endocrinologis’s have a higher level of training and experience with infertility. What are physicians's credentials? Ask for a medicine certificate. This is not a deal killer, but it’s good to know. Some doctors have completed the training but have not yet taken the certification test. The best place to search is Google, look for comments and recommendation that he/she has, what you don’t want to see is a pattern of complaints.  
5. Trust your instinct. Choosing the doctor with the best statistics won’t necessarily get the job done. I did that the first time, in the mistaken belief that applying simple math (high success rate + cash to pay for IVF = my very own baby human) would surely work. And while I never quite trusted or felt cared for on a personal level by my first infertility physician, I stayed for two cycles anyway, stressful months that ended in painful failures.

But don’t just listen to my advice. Ask several fertility doctors in your area to give you their consult and advise. Be prepared for the meeting and come with specific list of questions.