It takes a lot of courage to acknowledge that you need fertility treatment and to seek the help of a fertility specialist. In addition to sharing your struggle and your fears with a new set of doctors and staff, the beginning steps can feel daunting.

The reassuring news is that when you select the right fertility specialist, those first steps will give you a new sense of empowerment and awareness about what is going on for you and/or your partner – and to create a fertility treatment plan designed just for you.

Each patient is different, and that means there is no “single path” with identifiable steps that everyone takes in sequence. Rather, infertility diagnosis will lead to more of a “choose your own adventure” where we work with various treatment options with respect to your infertility factor(s) as well as the treatment costs, risks, benefits, and your chances of a successful outcome.

The First Step: Accurate Infertility Testing and Diagnosis

We consider acknowledgement of your potential infertility and connecting with a fertility specialist as the REAL “First Step.” So, congratulations. You’re already on your way. The next step on your journey is going through the menu of fertility testing we use to get an accurate infertility diagnosis.

We will evaluate everything about you and your partner, including:

• A complete review of your personal and family medical/reproductive history
• Semen analysis ad male factor infertility testing (we prefer to repeat a semen analysis even if you received the “green light” from your GP. Our lab techs are specifically trained to notice sperm abnormalities that can be missed in a general lab tech analysis)
• Blood tests to determine hidden factors, as well as to analyze reproductive hormone levels
• Ovarian function tests, including FSH/AMH levels, ultrasound to look at follicles as they mature and to make sure you are ovulating
• Luteal phase testing to look at progesterone levels after ovulation
• Cervical mucus test to make sure sperm remain alive when they make contact with your vaginal fluids and into your cervix
• Ultrasound imaging is used both to verify ovulation (as mentioned above) as well as to make sure your endometrial lining is thick enough to support implantation and the development of a full-term baby.
• A visual review of your reproductive anatomy to make sure all of your reproductive parts are present and functioning and that the path is free and clear for the sperm/egg to travel through the fallopian tubes and into the uterus. These tests include a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), hysteroscopy, and/or laparoscopy.

We won’t know what your first steps in the fertility treatment journey are until we’ve met you, spent time getting to know you, and get you the accurate diagnosis you’ve been waiting for so you can keep moving forward. Once we get the results from this preliminary testing, we will work with you to make plan of the appropriate medical treatment for you! Are you ready to get started? Give Fertility Solutions a call to schedule an appointment.