Fertility test
Answering some questions!

Your fertility test will be carried out by your primary care physician, the family doctor. At this point, the question "What causes infertility" will be at the forefront of your mind.

Initially your doctor will take notes on your fertility history, as a couple. The type of information taken will be:

• Age
• how long you've been trying to conceive
• any past illnesses
• any surgery
• effects of drugs / medication on infertility
• women - menstrual cycle consistency
• frequency of menstrual cycle - oligomenorrhea
• is a menstrual cycle occurring normally - amenorrhoea
• is menstrual cycle accompanied by pain
• job occupational hazards, especially for the male
• STD's - Sexually transmitted disease
• chlamydia
• discuss any past smear teat results

Infertility support describes the first visit to your doctor. This visit may require a further primary infertility test often referred to as "secondary tests", normally carried out in a special fertility unit or clinic. Be strong, during these fertility tests. They are necessary to increase fertility, however uncomfortable or embarrassing they may be!

There a number of causes of male infertility which will be part of the fertility questions and investigations conducted.

Primary infertility test for women:

• A current smear test
• A test for chlamydia infection (if detected, can be treated)
• Physical examination, which includes an internal examination
• Ovulation test: a blood test, to test progesterone levels (normally in the second half of the cycle, to confirm ovulation taking place)

Primary infertility test for the man:

• Physical examination of the man's penis and testes
• Two semen samples, necessary for a semen analysis by a laboratory at the fertility clinic for further investigations and secondary tests to take place

While it may be assumed that your doctor will conduct the first examinations and infertility test, there may be good reason to refer you for secondary tests, very quickly:

• If either partner, especially the female, is over the age of 35
• If the female has a history of amenorrhoea (described as the absence of periods)
• Or a history of oligomenorrhea (periods that are infrequent)
• Abnormal anatomy on internal examination, for the female
• If a female has the condition endometriosis
• Investigate varicocele of the scrotum (raised temperature)

Primary infertility test

The tests described above are of paramount importance to your infertility treatments going forward. The more information known and is available to you, will lend support to your ability to increase fertility and seek and follow the recommended infertility treatments prescribed.

The temptation to continue to try and conceive on your own is easy. Facing the truth about why you are not falling pregnant is a difficult decision.

You will need to gather your courage at this time to find out if there are any physical causes, or if this is unknown infertility.

The only time you can embark on this journey, is knowing the truth, however difficult it may be. Generally any further testing will be referred to a specialist fertility unit or clinic for a fertility plan.

In summary, the question of what causes infertility, will have already provided some answers, alleviating some of the anxiety you may be experiencing.

All the tests in the world will only assist if sperm and egg rendezvous at the right time in a female ovulation cycle. Knowing when this occurs can be tested with either an ovulation predictor kit, or by recognizing your signs of ovulation.

Testing what causes infertility will allow an action plan to be devised.

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