Getting Help

 
The first step to take in dealing with infertility is by talking with the mother's family doctor to voice her concerns and ask questions. It is important that both partners visit the doctor together, since the subfertility may be created by both people in the relationship. The mother's treatment will consist of primary and secondary tests to be carried out by her family physician and a specialized fertility center, respectively.

Primary tests for women include:
- Pap smear
- Chlamydia test
- Physical, internal examination
- Blood tests for progesterone levels to ensure ovulation is taking place

Some secondary tests for women include:
- Ultrasound scanning to check follicle development and to see if ovulation actually takes place.
- Endometrial biopsy which takes a tiny sample of the endometrium and checks for inadequate levels of progesterone.
- Tubal patency tests, such as the hysterosalpingogram and laparoscopy, both test the health of the fallopian tubes.

While the mother's family physician is likely to carry out the primary tests, she will be rapidly referred for secondary tests at a fertility clinic if:
- the mother or her partner are over 35 years of age
- the mother has had amenorrhea (absent periods) or oligomenorrhea (sparse or infrequent periods).
- There is a presence of abnormal internal anatomy in the woman or a varicocele in the scrotum of the man.

Primary tests for men include:
- Physical examination of the penis and testes
- Two semen samples for laboratory analysis

Some secondary tests for men include:
- Testes to observe the mucus penetrating ability of sperm to see whether they can get through the cervix and access the egg.
- The acrosome test, which observes the ability of the sperm to attach to the egg.
- The egg penetration test, which tests the potential of the sperm to fertilize an egg.

Print this page