One Stop Fertility Diagnostic Services

Fertility testing & diagnosis for women at a glance

• Should a woman face an inability to get pregnant even after a period of one year while actively trying for the same or has a preexisting infertility problem a fertility test should surely be considered.
• Since a key factor for pregnancy is age, those women who have crossed the age of 25 should consider a fertility check if they face an inability to get pregnant even after 6 months of trying.
• The tests required to diagnose the causes of infertility potentially involves a discussion of checking past medical records, some preliminary testing and some procedures which might be slightly invasive.
• If the situation so arises that the exact cause of infertility is not determined after the tests, it is clubbed under the diagnosis of being an “unexplained infertility” which normally occurs to 15 - 30% of infertile couples.

What is fertility testing and infertility diagnosis for women?

As we have discussed before, a woman below the age of 35 should consider a fertility check if she has been trying to conceive actively for a period of more than one year, while those above 35 years should consider opting for the same after a period of somewhere around 6 months. Since the chances of men and women being infertile is the same, both partners should get themselves tested to determine the root cause of infertility. These tests would determine the proper course of treatment as well should the need arise.

Which women would be the ideal candidates for considering a fertility testing?

Should the conditions talked about earlier be met, those with the following conditions should consider testing:

• If there are problems that have been found in the fallopian tubes, uterus or ovaries which diagnosing the reproductive system.
• If there are heavy and irregular menstrual cycles or they are completely absent.
• There have been recurrent miscarriages.
• There is a record of inflammatory diseases or pain in the pelvis or there is endometriosis.
• The partner is suspected of male infertility.

Fertility tests for women

Here at Sparsha, we cater to the following test for women infertility:

• Assessment of Medical History: The initial step would always be to delve a little deeper into the patient’s health and sexual history as that would provide key insights. A good example of the same would be if the patient has a past of irregular menstruation or a disease that would have been transmitted sexually that shows clear indications about the potential causes of infertility.
• Ultrasound Imaging: This ultrasound helps the doctors understand the structural flaws in the pelvic region should there be any. It would help identify the presence of any cysts in the ovaries should they exist.
• Hormonal Blood Tests: Proper blood tests are done at different time intervals during the menstrual cycle to measure the proper hormone counts. A Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) test is also standard practice to be conducted on the third day. The doctor also tests the brain to ovary signal quality and the quality of eggs which are being produced.
• Ovarian Reserve Test: This test helps assess the potential egg counts and can be conducted either via an ultrasound or a blood test.
• Laparoscopy: This minor surgery is used to treat endometriosis by scarring in the tissues, and removing the fibroids from the uterine. A small camera is injected through an incision in the belly button with the help of small surgical instruments.
• Sonohysterogram: Here the uterine cavity is filled with a saline solution and an ultrasound presents a clear image of the uterus. This further help diagnose any improper growths occurring and also fibroids and such.
• Hysterosalpingogram: This presents an X-ray image of the fallopian tubes and helps locate obstructions that might be hindering impregnation and also indicates whether the uterus has an unusual shape.
• Hysteroscopy: This helps repair abnormalities and scarring to the tissues present inside the cavity of the uterus.
• Ultrasound: This is a very non-invasive procedure to examine the strength of the reproductive system. This is commonly done transvaginally.

Testing and diagnosis for men - at a glance

• Should pregnancy not be achieved even after one year of efforts, men typically do not show any symptoms to suggest the same, thus a proper diagnosis to check for infertility is required.
• Male infertility plays a factor in about 40% of all cases per the ASRM and thus testing for man is a crucial factor.
• The tests for men can typically include a medical exam and analysis of the semen while factoring in sperm count and movement.

Of all infertility cases (as in failing to achieve pregnancy even after one year of actively trying for the same) male infertility counts for about 40% of cases.
Male infertility focuses on some key points such as - abnormalities with a man’s sperms or the medium to deliver the same. The analysis for semen tests the issues with the semen and its cells. The most common cause of infertility for men is damaged sperm.
Other reasonings or factors which can affect male fertility are:

• Genetic and chromosomal disorders which affect sperm quality and the delivery mechanism for the same.
• A symptom known as ‘dry ejaculation’ or retrograde which prevents a man from ejaculating normally.
• A blockage which might be occurring in the sperm tract or the reproductive tubes which hinders the sperms from leaving the penis.
• Any emotional or mental burden which prevents the man from maintaining a sustained intercourse cycle and thus not being able to climax, also known as impotence.
• Any chemical disturbances such as chemotherapy and radiation which disrupts and alters sperm quality and potency.

Under what circumstances should men consider fertility testing?

As is standard, if the man and woman are unable to get pregnant even after 1 year of trying for the same (6 months of the woman is above the age of 35) both partners should seek a fertility test.
However, with particular reference to a man, he should have fertility testing earlier if he has prior medical history for the same and also if he has any other medical conditions which might contribute to the same.
These include the following:

• Any damage to the testicles
• A dysfunction in getting erect
• Suffered from cancer and underwent treatment for the same prior
• Prior mumps or urinary tract infection

Fertility tests recommended for men

Here at Sparsha Infertility Center, we provide the following tests for men which can be done per their comfort and convenience.

• Medical history assessment: Here based on the records presented to the doctor, he explains and sheds light on some of the causes of infertility namely accidents, some medical experiments and surgeries and other pertinent factors. Also, lifestyle factors and even obesity are discussed, however, each conversation gets tailored to the situations of that individual/couple.
• Semen analysis: This shows and reflects the counts for how much and of what quality is the semen which the man is producing. The quality of movement and motility is also discovered. More than one test might also be recommended for understanding any differences based on the time of checking.
• Genetic testing: If the concentration of the sperm is very low, it points to a genetic stem of infertility and it can also further be confirmed via genetic tests of sperm samples.
• Hormone levels blood test: Hormones vital for sperm production and development, known as testosterone are examined via blood tests.
• Scrotal ultrasound: This tests for obstructions to the semen trajectory and presents a closer look at vesicles and ducts for ejaculation and semen transfer.
• Post ejaculatory urinalysis: This tests for urine presence in sperm and also for retrograde ejaculation.