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.

Male Fertility Test: A Urologist Will Study The Problem In Detail

Many people consider infertility to be mainly a woman’s problem though this is not exactly true because as many as fifty percent of all infertility cases are those that are related to male infertility, and often when a male becomes infertile, it can make it impossible to conceive a child, and it can even add to the difficulties faced by a woman who is in the process of conceiving a child.

Don’t Procrastinate

Thus, getting a male fertility test is something that must be given due consideration and it is as important in the case of men as it is for women to be tested for infertility. However, many males actually procrastinate when it concerns getting a male fertility test done and the main reasons for putting off testing is the high costs involved as well as the discomfort of it all.

It can indeed be a very unpleasant shock to learn that as a male, you are unable to help a female conceive a child and that you are suffering from male infertility. In such a case, you will need to find out the reasons why the problem has occurred and thus you need to get professional help in order to determine the exact causes of male infertility.

That being said, by getting a male fertility test done, you can improve the chances of identifying the exact causes of male infertility and a suitable treatment can be arrived at to help overcome these causes. The person that will perform a male fertility test is normally an urologist and your doctor will, after giving you a physical examination, do some analysis of your semen and then decide as to the quality and content of your sperm before proceeding with making a diagnosis.

To be sure, when getting a male fertility test done, you will have to provide a sample at the very place where the testing is being done as this will ensure that the analysis can be performed without unnecessary delay. So, don’t feel squeamish or sheepish about providing a sample because semen analysis is quite common and when results come in, you will start feeling relieved that the problem has been properly identified and proper treatment can then be prescribed.

Sometimes, the first semen analysis may not show up anything and thus, your doctor may order a second male fertility test in order to confirm the findings from the first test. The good news however is that in case you have to be tested twice, chances are you doesn’t really have an infertility problem.