contraception (and a few fall pregnant when contraception fails), for most couples there are at least several months of trying to conceive before anything happens, and some couples will have to wait years for a child. Coping with the disappointment of getting

, and their most recent figures were gathered between April 1st 2003 and March 31 2004.Out of 100 couples trying to conceive naturally, through regular sexual intercourse and without any form of assisted conception, 20 per cent will conceive in the first month

Knowing when to seek helpGetting startedOnce you have been trying to conceive for over twelve months, or six months if you are over 35, your doctor should be open to helping you start investigations into whether there is a problem, and what it might

. It's good to have a rough idea what to expect so you can brace yourself for disappointment in the early months of trying. That's not to say it's impossible to get pregnant straight away, but it does take around six months on average, and 12 months

to disillusionment and even depression. However, you're not alone.What are the odds on getting pregnant?In any given month, there is only a 20 to 25 per cent chance that you will conceive, even without any medical issues getting in the way (see below).On average

by endometriosis; 0.3 per cent will be affected by issues in the uterus which are hampering successful implantation of the egg; 17 per cent will be a combination of the above; and 18.7 per cent will be because of 'no particular reason'.At this stage, some doctors