What to Expect from a Fertility Evaluation
Fertility struggles can be challenging for couples who are trying to conceive. A fertility evaluation is not only wise but also crucial in achieving your dream of parenthood.
A fertility evaluation conducted by a fertility specialist provides the information and answers couples and individuals need in the process of diagnosing and treating infertility. A wide variety of issues can cause problems with conception. Fortunately, most issues can be treated with fertility therapy.
Board-certified OB/GYN, Kiran Patel, MD, and board-certified family medicine physician, Leela Patel, MD, may recommend a fertility evaluation if you’re ready to start or expand your family and are having trouble conceiving.
There are various options for treating infertility that may be right for you. Getting to the root of your fertility struggles is crucial in creating a treatment plan that will help you achieve your dream of having a child.
In evaluating fertility, your provider will order various tests to look for problems that affect your ability to conceive. Here’s what you need to know about the tests involved in fertility evaluation.
Ovarian reserve refers to a woman’s egg supply. Women are born with all of the eggs they’ll ever have, and the number of eggs you have gradually decreases throughout your life. Your supply continues to diminish until you reach menopause.
To check your ovarian reserve we measure the number of eggs you’re currently carrying and compare that with what we would expect for someone your age. Significantly low ovarian reserve can make it harder to become pregnant. If your ovarian reserve is very low, you may be a candidate for in vitro fertilization with donated eggs.
Reproductive hormones play a major role in your ability to conceive. Hormonal balance is crucial for your body’s cells and tissues to carry out the proper functions for conception. Hormone testing helps us detect and treat hormone-related fertility problems. Hormone testing is important for both women and men in seeking an answer to trouble conceiving.
When seeking fertility evaluation, it’s necessary for both partners to have their fertility checked. Infertility isn’t limited to women. A variety of causes contribute to male infertility, from hormonal problems to sperm abnormalities.
Your initial fertility evaluation will include a semen analysis. Successful conception requires good quality sperm. This means that you must have enough sperm, and that the sperm must have good motility for conception to occur.
A semen analysis allows us to check semen volume, sperm count, motility, and shape to look for abnormalities.
The endometrium plays a role in fertility and needs to respond properly to ovarian hormones for a successful pregnancy to occur. An endometrial biopsy specimen enables us to check the lining of the uterus to evaluate for infertility.
A hysterosalpingography is a special X-ray of the uterus that uses contrast dye for better visualization, which allows us to check the structure of your uterus and fallopian tubes.
Certain gene mutations can impact your fertility. Genetic testing enables us to look for specific genetic factors that may be causing you to have problems conceiving.
If you’re younger than 35 and have failed to get pregnant after six months of trying, it’s wise to start discussing fertility evaluation. People over the age of 35 who have tried for 12 months to conceive without success should consider having a fertility evaluation.
Helping you on your journey to have a child is our number one priority. If you’re struggling to conceive, or have questions about your fertility, schedule a visit with one of our providers by calling 304-205-9480. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is available to speak with you. Prospective and existing patients can also send us a message or booking request through our online form, or send us a text message.
