Infertility Workup & Counselling
Infertility workup & counselling
Infertility is the inability to get pregnant after trying over for a long period. There are two types of infertility problems; one is primary infertility that refers to not getting conceived after one long year inspite of not using any birth control methods. But, in secondary infertility, the person will get pregnant once and later becomes impotent for the second pregnancy
The infertility workup includes laboratory and imaging tests. For the female partner, tests will focus on ovarian reserve, ovulatory function, and structural abnormalities. An infertility evaluation may be offered to any patient who by definition has infertility or is at high risk of infertility.
- Women older than 35 years should receive an expedited evaluation and undergo treatment after 6 months of failed attempts to become pregnant or earlier, if clinically indicated. In women older than 40 years, more immediate evaluation and treatment are warranted. If a woman has a condition known to cause infertility, the obstetrician–gynecologist should offer immediate evaluation.
- A comprehensive medical history, including items relevant to the potential etiologies of infertility, should be obtained from the patient and partner, should one exist.
- A targeted physical examination of the female partner should be performed with a focus on vital signs and include a thyroid, breast, and pelvic examination.
- For the female partner, tests will focus on ovarian reserve, ovulatory function, and structural abnormalities.
- Imaging of the reproductive organs provides valuable information on conditions that affect fertility. Imaging modalities can detect tubal patency and pelvic pathology and assess ovarian reserve.
- A women’s health specialist may reasonably obtain the male partner’s medical history and order the semen analysis. Alternatively, it is also reasonable to refer all male infertility patients to a health care specialist with expertise in male reproductive medicine.