What Are the Steps in Determining Your Fertility?
For some people, pregnancy can occur within months of making the decision to start a family. Unfortunately, for other couples pregnancy does not occur as quickly as they would hope. If you are having difficulty getting pregnant, it is important to determine your fertility so that you can treat any problems quickly.
Both men and women need to have a physical examination. You will need to answer questions about illnesses, injuries, and your sexual history. Women will be asked about the regularity of their menstrual cycle.
If you are a man you will need to have your sperm count and quality tested.
Women should see their obstetrician to have ovarian reserve testing. This will help determine how fertile you are and the number of your eggs that are left to be released.
Your follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) will be tested to determine if the correct amount for conception is being secreted. If FSH is incorrectly secreting, your eggs may not be releasing as they should.
Have estradiol levels tested. Estradiol is what regulates the reproductive cycle.
Buy an ovulation predictor kit or have your luteinizing hormone tested by your doctor. This hormone will spike when the reproductive stage begins and is an indicator that your are fertile.
Once your blood work has confirmed that you are ovulating, you will have an x-ray of the fallopian tubes and uterus called a hysterosalpingogram. This will let you know if the fallopian tubes are open or if there is blockage.
Under certain circumstances your doctor may also perform a laparoscopy. This is an outpatient procedure in which your doctor makes a small incision beneath your navel. The incision allows the insertion of an illuminated, fiber-optic telescope called a laparoscope. This allows the doctor to check your ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes for abnormalities such as scarring.