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Infertility

Talking to your doctor

The first step in seeking treatment for infertility is admitting that there may be an infertility problem. For many couples, this is the hardest step. After each menstrual period, couples think that maybe it will work this cycle. But with hopes dashed month after month, it’s time to seek help.

The good news is that the majority of infertile couples get help from low-tech treatments like hormone therapies and surgeries, which can usually be performed, by your OB/GYN. Doctors start with an infertility work-up. This includes a variety of tests to try to determine the cause of the infertility problem. These tests will likely include:

blood tests to check all hormone levels in the woman as well as thyroid, prolactin and androgen levels
complete semen analysis of the man
post-coital test, where a sample of the cervical mucus is tested for quality and quantity and to see the number and motility of sperm in the mucus
hysterosalpingogram (an X-ray to evaluate if the woman’s fallopian tubes are open);
endometrial biopsy to check the quality of the uterine lining;
and a laparascopy, which is an outpatient surgical procedure to check for endometriosis or pelvic scarring in the woman.

In addition to the tests your physician may perform, learn as much as you can about infertility. Become an informed patient so that you can actively participate in your care. We suggest that you get and read good, reliable information from your doctor, library or established sources like RESOLVE and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (not just from popular magazines).

RESOLVE, a national associated dedicated to promoting infertility awareness and support, has over 60 fact sheets on different topics related to infertility and support groups in many local areas.