If you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant but haven’t had much luck, you might want to think about getting female fertility tests.
Most doctors will agree that it’s time for testing if you have been having unprotected sex for a year (if you are 35 and under) or unprotected sex for 6 months (if you are over 35) and have not gotten pregnant.
Approximately 40% of infertility problems lie with the female, but 30% of issues are due to the male, so it would be good to have both of you checked out.
What tests will you have to take? How long before you know? What kinds of questions will the doctor ask?
We have all the answers for you right here. Keep reading.
What Doctor to See?
Women should start off seeing their gynecologist, men should see a urologist.
Your doctor will take your medical history and ask you about any long-term medical problems you might be having or that you had in the past.
Questions will include:
- Have you ever had an abortion? (How many? How long ago?)
- Have you had any sexually transmitted diseases?
- Do you smoke or use drugs?
- Are you taking any prescription medications?
- What type of birth control have you used in the past?
- How often are you having sex?
- Are your periods regular?
- Have you used an ovulation predictor?
Types of Infertility Tests
While there are multitudes of infertility tests, doctors are not in agreement as to which is the best one.
Your doctor will most likely do a Pap smear first to rule out cancer and STD’s. A urine test might also be done to check for a hormone called Lutein, which your body makes just prior to ovulation.
A blood test might also be ordered so your doctor can check your hormone levels, including progesterone, which is another indicator that the body is ovulating.
Other tests that might be performed are thyroid tests or an ultrasound to see if your doctor can find any other issues that these tests might have missed.
Other Types of Infertility Testing
Your ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus need to work properly for you to become pregnant. Other tests your doctor might order checking on these organs include:
- HSG – Sometimes called a tomogram, hysterosalpingogram or HSG, is a series of x-rays your doctor will take after injecting a dye into the vagina.
- Hysteroscopy – This is a common test as it is easy to do in the doctor’s office. A thin, flexible tube is inserted into the uterus. A tiny camera is put inside the tube. This allows the doctor to see any problems and take samples.
- Laparoscopy – This involves a few small cuts in the stomach, so the doctor can see inside with a camera. This can tell the doctor almost everything he needs to know but does involve some minor surgery.
Chances are that you won’t need to have all of the above tests. These are simply possibilities. Your doctor will decide which tests would be best for you, based on your history.
Top 12 Tips for Getting Pregnant Quickly!
Although it might seem like a no-brainer; have sex, get pregnant, for many couples, it just doesn’t work out that way.
Many couples try diligently to conceive a child for months and some of them for years, before they are successful or before they break down and seek out professional help.
For most couples, however, it’s simply a matter of timing and patience.
There are plenty of tips that can help, however, and certainly won’t hurt anything!
Tips for Getting Pregnant
If you and your partner are trying to conceive, discover the Best 12 Tips for Getting Pregnant more quickly and have fun doing it!
- Tip #1: Time your cycles. Since most women ovulate about 15 days from the first day of her period, knowing her cycles can help you time when you should be having sex.
- Tip #2: Monitor Ovulation. There are urine test kits sold at drugs stores which measure a hormone called luteum, which the body makes as an egg is released from the ovaries. There are also home ovulation kits available for sale or you can use the old temperature method. Starting the first day of her period, a woman should take her temperature every morning before she gets out of bed. When the temperature rises a half a degree, the body has released an egg.
- Tip #3: Have sex at least every other day during a woman’s most fertile time. This is a six-day window that includes the 5 days before ovulation and the 36 hours after ovulation has occurred. Feel free to have sex every day if you have been trying to conceive for more than 6 months.
- Tip #4: Work on having a healthy body weight. Studies show that being overweight can reduce a woman’s chance of becoming pregnant, but being underweight makes it even more difficult! Aim to keep a healthy body weight by keeping your BMI lower than 35 and higher than 19.
- Tip #5: Take a multi-vitamin or prenatal vitamin before becoming pregnant. If you decide to take a multi-vitamin, be sure to take one which contains at least 400 micrograms of folic acid, which prevents birth defects.
- Tip #6: Eat a healthy diet. Eating plenty of leafy green vegetables, as well as citrus fruits and fortified breads can prepare the body for pregnancy. Eat no more than 6 ounces of tuna each week to avoid mercury build up and limit caffeine to no more than 250 mgs per day.
- Tip #7: Cut back on difficult workouts. This isn’t a good time to train for a marathon or to begin a strenuous workout routine. Women who exercise heavily tend to have a more difficult time becoming pregnant. Exercise is good for the body, but overdoing it might cause problems.
- Tip #8: Don’t put it off! The truth is that most women have a decrease in fertility after 30 and a very sharp decline after 37. This isn’t to say that you can’t get pregnant, only that it is more difficult.
- Tip #9: Think green. As much as possible, create a pesticide and chemical free environment. Stop using soaps which contain perfumes or triclosan, which contain hormone interrupting compounds.
- Tip #10 – Women who have high stress jobs or carry unmanaged stress can find it more difficult to become pregnant. Remove stress from your life as much as possible and learn to manage the stress you can’t avoid by practicing yoga or deep breathing exercises.
- Tip #11: Drink red raspberry leaf tea. While there is no scientific evidence to back up this old folk remedy, you will find hundreds of testimonials online about women who became pregnant after drinking red raspberry leaf tea.
- Tip #12: Avoid hot tubs, Jacuzzi’s, or hot baths. Men can do their share by avoiding very hot water, such as the kind found in hot tubs or steam rooms. They can also help increase their sperm count by wearing boxers instead of briefs and limiting alcoholic drinks to no more than three per day.
References
Fertility Treatment Options for Both Men and Women https://www.myfertilitysuccess.com/articles/fertility-treatment-options-for-both-men-and-women/
Fertility Tests for Women https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/fertility-tests-women
Female Fertility Testing http://americanpregnancy.org/infertility/female-fertility-testing/
17 Natural Ways to Boost Fertility https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/17-fertility-tips-to-get-pregnant
Getting Pregnant http://bounty.co.nz/getting-pregnant
Lora M. is the director of Fertility Health Services in San Diego, California and is the author of the different books and audio CD series. Lora’s work is marked by a ready warmth and deep empathy for all those she serves. People from all walks of life have benefited from her keen ability to help them connect with their deepest selves — and experience their fullest potential for health, happiness and wholeness.