More Common Than You’d Think
Studies have shown that up to 15% of couples experience some level of infertility (Chimbatata & Malimba, 2016). But, with advances in medical technology and treatment options, many couples are still able to conceive and start a family. From in vitro fertilization to intrauterine insemination and other assisted reproductive technologies, there are so many options available to for struggling with infertility.
The journey to parenthood is different for everyone, it’s important to know that there is hope and support available for those who want to expand their family.
How Fertility Testing Can Benefit You and Your Partner
1. Find out the cause of infertility.
2. Identify abnormalities.
3. Find Your natural fertility window.
4. Choose the best assistive reproductive technology.
5. Reduce the risk of Complications.
Find Out The Cause Of Infertility
Fertility testing can help find out the cause of infertility by measuring the levels of hormones that are involved in ovulation and pregnancy. Hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estrogen and progesterone can tell you how well your ovaries are functioning and how many eggs you have left.
Fertility testing can also help diagnose any problems with your reproductive organs, such as blockages in the fallopian tubes, abnormalities in the uterus, or even infections in the cervix.
By identifying the cause of infertility, fertility testing can help you and your doctor decide on the best treatment options for you. Another big part of fertility testing is helping you plan your pregnancy by tracking your ovulation cycle and predicting what your most fertile days are.
Fertility testing can be done at a doctor’s office, or a less expensive option is to do them at a walk lab facility like Epicentre. The type of test you choose may depend on your preferences, budget, and insurance coverage. Some tests may require a blood sample, while others may use urine or saliva. Some tests may provide instant results, but others may take a few days to be analysed.
You should always consult with your doctor after taking any fertility test to make sure you understand the results and what they mean to you.
Identify Abnormalities
Fertility testing can help identify abnormalities that may affect your ability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term. Some of these abnormalities include:
✔ Chromosomal abnormalities: Chromosomal abnormalities can cause infertility by affecting the development and function of your eggs or sperm, or by causing miscarriages or birth defects
✔ Hormonal abnormalities: These are imbalances in the levels of hormones that regulate your reproductive cycle, such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid hormones.
Hormonal abnormalities can cause infertility by affecting your ovulation, menstrual cycle, or implantation
Fertility testing can help diagnose these abnormalities by using different methods, such as:
✔ Blood tests: These can measure your hormone levels and check for any genetic or chromosomal problems
✔ Semen analysis: This can evaluate the quantity and quality of your partner’s sperm and check for any infections or antibodies that may affect fertility.
By identifying the cause of infertility, these tests can help you and your doctor choose the best treatment options for you.
Find Your Natural Fertility Window
Fertility testing can help you find your natural fertility window by measuring certain indicators of ovulation, such as your hormone levels, basal body temperature, and cervical mucus.
Your natural fertility window is the time during your menstrual cycle when you’re most likely to get pregnant.
For most people, it’s the five days leading up to ovulation, the day of ovulation and the day after ovulation. Ovulation is when one of your ovaries releases a mature egg that can be fertilized by sperm.
Choose The Best Assistive Reproductive Technology
Epicentre’s Walk-In Lab does not offer assistive reproductive technology (ART) but through our fertility testing can help you choose the best ART to use.
Our tests can help by providing information about your reproductive health and what the potential causes of infertility could be.
ART refers to treatments and procedures that aim to achieve pregnancy by manipulating eggs, sperm, or embryos in a laboratory or clinic.
Some common types of ART are:
✔ Intrauterine insemination (IUI): This involves placing sperm inside the uterus to facilitate fertilization. The sperm may be from the partner or a donor.
✔ In vitro fertilization (IVF): This involves retrieving eggs from the ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory. The resulting embryos are then transferred to the uterus or frozen for future use. The eggs and sperm may be from the partners or donors.
✔ Third-party assisted ART: This involves using donated eggs, sperm, embryos, or a gestational carrier (surrogate) to help achieve pregnancy
Reduce The Risk of Complications
Some of the complications that may arise without doing fertility testing are:
✔ Delayed diagnosis and treatment of infertility:
Without fertility testing, you may not know the exact cause of your infertility or the best treatment options for you. This can delay your chances of getting pregnant and increase your frustration and stress.
✔ Wasted time and money on ineffective treatments:
Without fertility testing, you may try treatments that are not suitable for your condition or that have low success rates. This is a waste of time and money and can expose you to unnecessary risks and side effects.
✔ Unplanned multiple pregnancies:
Without fertility testing, you may not know how many eggs you are producing or how many embryos are implanting in your uterus. This can increase the risk of having twins, triplets, or more, which can cause complications for you and your babies
✔ Ectopic pregnancy:
Without fertility testing, you may not know if you have any problems with your fallopian tubes or uterus that can prevent the fertilized egg from reaching the uterus. This can increase the risk of having an ectopic pregnancy, which is when the egg implants outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. Ectopic pregnancy can cause severe pain, bleeding, and damage to the fallopian tube. It can also be life-threatening if not treated promptly
✔ Miscarriage:
Without fertility testing, you may not know if you have any chromosomal abnormalities, hormonal imbalances, infections, or other factors that can cause miscarriage. Miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks of gestation. Miscarriage can be caused by chromosomal abnormalities, hormonal imbalances, infections, or other factors.
✔ Birth defects:
Without fertility testing, you may not know if you have any genetic factors, environmental factors, or unknown causes that can cause birth defects. Birth defects are physical or mental abnormalities that are present at birth. Birth defects can be caused by genetic factors, environmental factors, or unknown causes.
By doing fertility testing, you can avoid these complications and optimize your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby.
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