Basic Infertility tests-lending a helping hand to mother nature

Why are the basic tests required?

• The right balance of hormones to allow egg and sperm development and support.
• A healthy mature female egg (female oocyte or gamete) and whether ovulation regularly takes place.
• A good quantity and quality of male sperm (male gamete).
• A functioning reproductive tract (uterus and fallopian tubes), which allows for the egg and sperm to meet and for the egg to be fertilized.
• The ability of the female body to allow for implantation of an embryo, and to maintain and nourish that embryo.

Your doctor will decide which tests are the most appropriate for you. Common tests are:

• Blood tests A series of tests will establish if there is a hormonal basis for a couple’s infertility.
• Ultrasound scan (also called a transvaginal ultrasound or TVS Scan) – Using a long, slender probe inserted into the vagina, your doctor or nurse will check for the following factors:

  Anything that may be affecting your cycles, such as the presence of ovarian cysts and endometriosis

  The thickness of the uterine lining and how well the uterus is responding to hormone production

  The size of your ovaries and the number of follicles present in your ovaries.

• Hysterosalpingogram (hSG) This is a procedure in which a dye (‘contrast’) is injected into the uterine cavity. X-rays are used to visualize the uterus and fallopian tubes to determine if any blockages are present.
• Laparoscopy A small telescopic instrument is inserted through an incision in the navel to examine the areas around the woman’s uterus and fallopian tubes.
• Semen analysis (also called a ‘sperm count’) – Semen analysis is performed on a sample collected following a period of at least 36 to 72 hours abstinence from intercourse. The sample should be given within 35 minutes of collection.