What Are The Infertility Test Procedures?
If you have been trying to conceive for more than a year without success, you may want to consider going for infertility test. Your doctor will recommend various basic tests appropriate for you and your partner to evaluate your fertility.
Female Fertility Test
1. Checking Cervix – You doctor will check your cervix for signs of viral and bacteria infection, chlamydia, gonorrhea, ureaplasm urealyticum and other pathogens.
2. Blood Test – Your blood reveals a lot of information about your fertility. It can be used to evaluate the level of your hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), extradiol, progesterone and prolactin. The levels of these hormones at different times indicate any disorders in your eggs, ovulation, thyroid and other reproductive organs. Presence of infectious diseases such as hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), syphilis and rubella (German Measles) antibody can also be detected using your blood sample. Immune disorders that cause infertility can also be detected.
3. Pelvic Ultrasound Examination - The ability to view your internal pelvic organs allows your doctor to identify any presence of cysts and other fertility problems. There is no pain and discomfort during ultrasound.
4. Endometrial Biospy – Through this procedure, your doctor obtains a sample of lining (endometrium) inside your uterus to determine whether you are ovulating and your progesterone level is adequate. You may experience some discomfort and cramps during the procedure. After the procedure, you may have some slight spotting for a few days.
5. Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) – This an x-ray of the uterus and fallopian tubes to detect blockage of fallopian tubes and other abnormalities such as fibroids, large polyps, unusually shaped uterus, adhesions. There may be some discomfort and cramping during the procedure, After HSG, you may have some discomfort, cramps and vagina discharge for a few days. HSG cannot detect small polyps and fibroids.
6. Hysteroscopy – This procedure allows your doctor to take a closer look at your uterus and ovaries to detect presence of fibroids, polyps adhesions and abnormally shaped uterus. Surgery can be done under local anesthesia to remove these abnormalities at the same time. You may experience discomfort and cramping during the procedure. After hysteroscopy, you may also have discomfort, cramps and slight vagina bleeding.
7. Laparoscopy – By placing a thin telescope through a small incision in your abdomen, your doctor can clearly view your reproductive organs to diagnose conditions such as endometriosis, scarring and adhesions, fibroids, ovarian cysts and blocked fallopian tubes. These conditions can be treated surgically under general anesthesia during the procedure. After laparoscopy, you may experience some pain from the surgery, mild nausea, vagina bleeding and abdomen discomfort.
8. Other Fertility Tests -The doctor may require you to keep a basal body temperature (BBT) chart or ovulation chart using ovulation predictor test kits at home to determine whether you are ovulating.
Male Infertility Test
The man is also required to go through some basic tests to check for any infertility problems.
1. Blood Tests – Your testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone and prolactin levels can be evaluated for any disorders using your blood sample. Infectious diseases like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis and syphilis and certain viruses and bacteria that can lead to infertility can also be detected.
2. Urine Analysis – Your urine is checked for presence of bacteria, white blood cells and sperm. Presence of white blood cells in the urine indicates infection within the urinary tract or prostate gland. If a large number of sperms are found in your urine, it may indicate retrograde ejaculation, where sperm swim backward into the bladder.
3. Semen Analysis – Semen analysis reveals a lot of information about a man’s fertility.
Volume
Your volume of semen should be 1.5 to 6 ml per ejaculation. Higher or lower volume may indicate low testosterone level or infection. Zero sperm in the semen may be due to retrograde ejaculation, where the sperm swim backward into the bladder.
Thickness
Normal semen is a thick gel at the time of ejaculation. It normally liquefies within 30 minutes after ejaculation. If it takes longer, it may indicate infection or other problems.
Quantity
The quantity of sperm should be greater than 20 million sperm per milliliter or 40 million per ejaculation. Otherwise, your sperm count may be low.
Shape
It is normal to have some sperm that are abnormally shaped but more than 30 percent of the sperm should be normally shaped. Abnormally shaped sperm are usually not able to penetrate the egg.
Motility
More than 40 percent of the sperm should be able to move forward to the egg. If a high percentage of your sperm has low motility, you may have infertility problems.
Some other infertility tests may be required if necessary.
4. Antisperm Antibody (ASA) - This antibody reacts against a man’s own sperm. A test on the semen sample can detect antisperm antibody. This condition has a negative effect on the sperm’s motility.
5. Hamster Egg Test – If your sperm can penetrate a hamster egg, your sperm can also penetrate a human egg.
6. Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE) And Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA) – This test is recommended when the man is not producing sperm although no abnormality is found. With TESE, the doctor removes a piece of testicle tissue surgically under local anesthesia and the sperm are then removed from the tissue for further evaluation. With TESA, the sperm is aspirated from the sperm duct.
7. Vasogram – This test is recommended when a blockage along your reproductive duct is suspected. Vasogram can be used to detect the exact location of the blockage so that surgery can be done.
Going through the infertility test procedures can be tough both emotionally and physically for you and your partner. Infertility tests can also be costly. However, you may still want to go through the tests if you have difficulty conceiving. The tests and treatment may solve your infertility problem and you can have your own baby in the near future.
