Fertility problems
How do doctors diagnose infertility?
If you and your partner haven't been able to have a baby, the first step in getting help is to see your doctor. It helps if you go together.
Your doctor will want to ask you both some questions (this is called taking a history), do a physical exam, carry out some
tests and give you some advice.
-
How long you've been trying to get pregnant. Most doctors agree that you have fertility problems if you've been trying for a baby for at least one year.
Source:
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement.
Diagnosis and management of basic infertility.
May 2004. Available at http://www.icsi.org (accessed on 16 June 2008).
1 - How often you have sex and if there are any difficulties with sex. To get pregnant you should have sex every two to three days, every week, rather than trying to have sex around the time the woman ovulates.
- Your periods and whether they are regular
- Contraception: What you used and how long ago you stopped using it
- Previous pregnancies (if you have had any) and whether there were problems
-
Sexually transmitted diseases such as
chlamydia
Chlamydia is an infection you can get by having sex without a condom. It can cause pain or discomfort and discharge from your sexual organs. If you're a woman, it can also cause infertility or a painful infection inside your body.chlamydia orgonorrhea
Gonorrhea is an infection you can get by having sex without a condom. If you're a man, it can cause pain in the tube (the urethra) inside your penis and give you a milky discharge from your penis. If you're a woman, it may not cause you any pain or irritation, but it can damage your tubes and ovaries, making you infertile.gonorrhea - Any other diseases or illnesses you might have had
- Surgery in your pelvic area
- What medicines you are taking (some drug treatments can affect your fertility)
- Your lifestyle: You may be asked whether you smoke, whether and how much you drink or take drugs, whether you travel in your job (this can restrict the chances of sex with your partner), whether you are under stress.
- Whether you have any children (with the same partner or different partners)
- Whether you have ever had mumps (this can affect your fertility if you are a man)
- If you have had any sexually transmitted diseases such as
chlamydia
Chlamydia is an infection you can get by having sex without a condom. It can cause pain or discomfort and discharge from your sexual organs. If you're a woman, it can also cause infertility or a painful infection inside your body.chlamydia orgonorrhea
Gonorrhea is an infection you can get by having sex without a condom. If you're a man, it can cause pain in the tube (the urethra) inside your penis and give you a milky discharge from your penis. If you're a woman, it may not cause you any pain or irritation, but it can damage your tubes and ovaries, making you infertile.gonorrhea - Whether you have had problems with your testicles, with having sex, getting an erection or having a climax (ejaculating)
- Any diseases or illnesses you might have had
- What medicines you are taking, if any (some drug treatments can affect your fertility)
- Your lifestyle: Whether you smoke, drink, travel a lot (this can restrict the chance of having sex with your partner), take drugs, or are under stress, and so on.
blood pressure
Blood pressure is the amount of force exerted by the blood on the walls of the vessels that carry it. You can think of it like the water pressure in your home: the more pressure you have, the faster and more forcefully the water flows out of the shower. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (written as mm Hg). When your blood pressure is taken, the measurement is given as two numbers, for example 120/80 mm Hg. The first, higher, number is called the systolic pressure, and the second, lower, number is the diastolic pressure. The systolic number is the highest pressure that occurs while the heart is pushing blood into the arteries. The diastolic number is the lowest pressure that happens when the heart is relaxing and is not pushing the blood.
Blood pressure is the amount of force exerted by the blood on the walls of the vessels that carry it. You can think of it like the water pressure in your home: the more pressure you have, the faster and more forcefully the water flows out of the shower. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (written as mm Hg). When your blood pressure is taken, the measurement is given as two numbers, for example 120/80 mm Hg. The first, higher, number is called the systolic pressure, and the second, lower, number is the diastolic pressure. The systolic number is the highest pressure that occurs while the heart is pushing blood into the arteries. The diastolic number is the lowest pressure that happens when the heart is relaxing and is not pushing the blood.
- Whether you're ovulating regularly if you're a woman
- What your sperm look like and how many there are of them if you're a man.
If these first tests show that the woman is ovulating normally and her partner's sperm is normal, the woman is likely to be advised to have further tests.
Your doctor will also give you some general advice about getting pregnant. You may be advised, for example, to stop smoking, cut down on alcohol, eat a healthy diet or lose weight if you are very overweight (
obese). You may also be told about the kind of investigations and treatments for infertility that you could have.
obesity
If your body stores more energy than you need for daily functioning, this can make you overweight. The excess energy is stored in your fat cells. If your weight goes above a certain level, doctors call this obesity. Obesity is considered a medical condition. The excess weight can be a strain on your bones and joints. And if you are obese, you're more likely to get other diseases. Doctors have developed a scale for telling how much excess weight you have. This measure, called the body mass index (BMI), depends on your height.
If your body stores more energy than you need for daily functioning, this can make you overweight. The excess energy is stored in your fat cells. If your weight goes above a certain level, doctors call this obesity. Obesity is considered a medical condition. The excess weight can be a strain on your bones and joints. And if you are obese, you're more likely to get other diseases. Doctors have developed a scale for telling how much excess weight you have. This measure, called the body mass index (BMI), depends on your height.
Your doctor will usually refer you to a specialist if you have been trying to have a baby for one year. You are more likely
to be referred after six months if:
1
Source:
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement.
Diagnosis and management of basic infertility.
May 2004. Available at http://www.icsi.org (accessed on 16 June 2008).
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement.
Diagnosis and management of basic infertility.
May 2004. Available at http://www.icsi.org (accessed on 16 June 2008).
- The woman is aged over 35 years or has irregular or no periods
- The physical examination is abnormal for either partner
- Either of you has ever had a sexually transmitted disease or an operation on your abdomen
- You've had a history of infertility before.
Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.
2000 assisted technology and reproductive success rates. National Summary and Fertility Clinic Reports.
August 2003. Available at http://www.cdc.gov (accessed on 16 June 2008).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.
2000 assisted technology and reproductive success rates. National Summary and Fertility Clinic Reports.
August 2003. Available at http://www.cdc.gov (accessed on 16 June 2008).
When you see a specialist at a fertility clinic, he or she will examine you. You may also be advised to have further tests to find out more about your infertility. See Further fertility tests.
Sources for the information on this page:
- Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement.Diagnosis and management of basic infertility.May 2004. Available at http://www.icsi.org (accessed on 16 June 2008).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.2000 assisted technology and reproductive success rates. National Summary and Fertility Clinic Reports.August 2003. Available at http://www.cdc.gov (accessed on 16 June 2008).
This information was last updated on Mar 06, 2009
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
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