Fertility 101: Fertility Testing/Services
Female Fertility Testing
Getting pregnant is not always easy.
Starting and building your family can be an exciting milestone. But for over 6 million American couples, achieving that dream of parenthood will be a challenge. For these 10% of reproductive-age couples, they may need help getting pregnant. There are many reasons for infertility problems.
When To Seek Help
If you are having trouble getting pregnant, contacting your Ob-Gyn or primary care physician can be a great place to start. They may either initiate a basic fertility evaluation themselves or refer you directly to a physician who specializes in fertility. In either case, the key is to get the process moving so that time is not lost, appropriate testing is begun, and treatment, if needed, is initiated in a timely manner.
At Carolina Conceptions, based in central North Carolina, we believe that it is often appropriate to consult with a Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist (who only specializes in Reproductive Medicine) after one year of trying to conceive without success. In women over the age of 35, however, it makes sense to seek fertility help after 6 months.
Diagnosing Infertility Causes
A fertility evaluation program typically includes a discussion of you and your partner's medical/sexual health and the following studies:
- Baseline Hormones (day 1-3)
- Hysterosalpingogram HSG (225k pdf) (day 5-12)
- Sonohysterogram (day 5-12)
- Follicle Monitoring (day 11-14)
- Luteal phase progesterone (day 20-24)
- Semen Analysis
While infertility is a challenge personally, new tests and treatments now often lead to successful pregnancies. For many couples, the answer is quite simple. For others, newer technology is needed. Specialists in reproductive medicine can help you understand what options available. Many causes of infertility can be diagnosed and overcome. We can help you get pregnant. Contact Carolina Conceptions for an infertility consultation.