Infertility Problems and Fertility Testing

Fertility testing should be considered if you and your partner have been having difficulty conceiving a child after at least one year of unprotected sex. Simple fertility testing, such as tracking ovulation cycles, can start at home and may alert the female partner to a potential problem. If an abnormality is found, a visit to an infertility specialist is warranted. Once testing has been completed by both partners, the specialist will be able to determine what is hindering conception.

According to americanpregnancy.org and other numerous sources, male infertility is a factor in approximately 50% of cases, which is why a semen analysis is so important. Sometimes even after extensive testing, an exact cause cannot be found, which can be greatly discouraging, but there are steps that can be taken to improve the odds.

Before treatment for infertility can begin, factors such as the woman’s age and ovulatory cycle patterns need to be considered when determining if testing and treatment should be pursued. A physical exam of the female partner will be done first, in addition to a pelvic ultrasound to assess the thickness of the uterine lining, to monitor follicular development, and to assess the overall condition of the uterus and ovaries. Blood fertility testing is ordered at specific intervals to check for abnormalities, which usually include follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone, and estradiol.

A sample of the cervical mucous and an endometrial biopsy can also be obtained early on to determine hormone abnormality, and if any bacteria is present, which can prevent sperm from penetrating and surviving. Other diagnostic tests may also be done, such as a hysteroscopy, hysterosalpingogram, or laparoscopy that are done on an outpatient basis, to look for possible scarring, cysts, fibroid tumors, or any other abnormalities.

As you can see, fertility testing can be quite vigorous and stressful for couples seeking treatment for infertility. On the bright side, two out of three couples that seek medical intervention give birth eventually (fertilityjourney.com). This is very encouraging, but on the downside, more advanced testing and treatment measures may not be covered by health insurance companies in states that don’t mandate coverage for infertility. Basic infertility testing may be covered, but procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF) or gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT) would not be covered. Many couples have taken out personal loans and second mortgages to pay for a chance at conceiving a child, and many more are successful than not.

What Is An Infertility Specialist?

When most couples decide it is time to start a family they expect that within a few months they will be pregnant, but that is not always the case. Most doctors recommended that couples under the age of 35 try for at least a year before visiting with a medical professional and those over 35 try for six months.

When couples do begin the process of seeing a doctor most will start with their own family physician or the woman’s gynecologist before seeking help from a fertility clinic.
Most gynecologists and family doctors can run some base line tests that can tell a lot about what is happening during the monthly cycle.

This can involve something as simple as blood tests and screening tests to see if a woman is ovulating. A physician may recommend using an over the counter ovulation predictor kit or basal thermometer to determine if a woman is ovulating. The male can be seen by an urologist for some simple evaluations including a physical and a sample will be needed to evaluate the sperm’s mobility and count.

All of these tests can be done before seeking the advice of an infertility specialist. But, some patients find that they will in the end need to see a doctor with more training in order to continue in their pursuit of having a baby.

What an Infertility Specialist Can Do

An infertility specialist is someone that has had additional medical training in infertility. A reproductive endocrinologist is a doctor that has passed their boards and done extra training in the field of gynecology. These infertility specialists can treat both men and women and are familiar with the field of infertility. This type of infertility specialist may be the right doctor to see for couples who have already gone through basic testing and treatment and are still not pregnant.

Not all doctors who work in the field of infertility are necessarily an infertility specialist in training. Many physicians who are working with infertile patients did not specialize in that field, but come to it through the field of gynecology. This doesn’t mean they don’t know what they are doing, and it is important as a patient to ask what training a doctor has and how many years they have been working with infertile couples.

Patients need to be proactive about their infertility care and aware of the experience that a doctor has in the world of infertility. If a physician isn’t a reproductive endocrinologist, but has been working with infertile patients and has a high success rate with pregnancy they may still be the best choice for a couple. Be sure to interview all potential physicians and check into their credentials before choosing an infertility specialist.