During your first consultation with an infertility specialist, your healthcare provider explores various aspects to understand your fertility concerns.
This professional may ask questions and perform different tests to create a personalized treatment plan. Here is more information about what happens during the initial appointment with an infertility specialist:
1. Medical History Review
During a medical history review, an infertility specialist asks couples questions to understand their reproductive health and factors affecting fertility.
For women, this expert may want to know their average menstrual cycle length and whether or not they are regular because this gives details about ovulation.
If you’ve been pregnant before, they may ask whether those pregnancies were carried to term or if there were any miscarriages. Such details help the specialist understand your reproductive history and any potential complications.
For men, a provider asks them if they’ve had a semen analysis, which examines sperm count, movement, and structure, boosting fertilization. A fertility doctor also asks about any history of testicular injury and surgery because they can impact fertility.
2. Physical Examination
A doctor conducts a pelvic exam on the woman to assess abnormalities in the size or shape of the uterus and ovaries. This procedure helps identify conditions like fibroids, cysts, or endometriosis, which can interfere with fertility.
By inserting a speculum, a medical professional checks for any signs of infection in the cervix, which can affect conception. A specialist performs a genital exam to identify enlarged veins in the scrotum that hinder sperm production in men. They check for signs of infection, swelling, or blockages in the sperm ducts, which affect sperm production or delivery.
3. Initial Testing
Conducting blood tests identifies the level of hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle and promote the growth of eggs in the ovaries. This test also shows whether estrogen is balanced to prepare the uterine lining for pregnancy and to sustain the embryo.
To get a closer look at the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus for underlying issues, a specialist uses an ultrasound. For men, a healthcare provider analyzes sperm volume, count, and motility to determine if it can fertilize an egg without challenges.
If there are genetic conditions, a doctor carries out genetic testing to check for chromosomal abnormalities that affect fertility.
4. Treatment Options
If a specialist discovers fertility issues in women, they prescribe medications to encourage their ovaries to release more eggs. For men, hormonal therapy helps increase testosterone to boost sperm production and quality.
If there are more serious fertility issues like blocked fallopian tubes and male factor infertility, in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be discussed. IVF entails fertilizing eggs outside the womb, helping address issues such as unexplained fertility.
During this process, sperm can be directly injected into an egg, increasing its chances of becoming fertilized. If there are genetic disorders, a specialist selects quality embryos to avoid passing health issues to the baby.
5. Work With a Qualified Infertility Specialist
During your visit to an infertility specialist, they conduct physical exams and tests to discover issues affecting your fertility. Once they have the results, they prescribe medications and discuss treatment options with you. To start the process, call a trusted fertility clinic today to schedule an appointment.
