Fertility Help -- Understanding Infertility Tests And Treatments
*Question: How do you test for infertility?
The first thing that will happen is that a doctor will give you an examination to rule out initial fertility problems. The fertility specialist will generally begin with a physical exam and sexual and medical histories for both you and your partner.
After completing the medical examinations, your physician will begin some tests. It is general procedure for men to undergo semen specimen tests where the sperm will be evaluated based on ejaculation volume, its shape, and its movement (or motility). There may also be a need for additional tests such as hormone tests.
For a woman, the physician will try to try to determine whether or not she is ovulating properly every month. To determine this, she will need to either record her temperature every morning and her cervical mucous texture or she will need to use a home ovulation test kit. You may need to take some additional tests to determine ovulation. These tests may include blood tests for hormone levels and ultrasound tests for checking ovaries.
*Question: Is there a treatment for infertility?
Treatment for infertility depends on the physical examination and test results. In most cases, 85 to 90 percent of infertility cases are treated with prescription drugs or surgery.
There are several different fertility drugs that can be taken by women having ovulation problems. However, it is essential that you speak with your physician and let him prescribe the right drugs for your situation. He is the best person to explain to you the possible side effects as well as the possible benefits.
Surgery can be done in cases where fertility problems are caused by damage or other problems in the reproductive organs of either the man or the woman.
*Question: What kinds of medicines are used for treating infertility in women?
If a woman has ovulation complications, the medication Clomiphene Citrate is often prescribed. It is commonly used for women who may be experiencing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or other disorders that inhibit ovulation.
The hMG (human menopausal gonadotropin is the drug usually used by women who do not ovulate due to problems with pituitary glands. It acts directly on the ovaries to encourage ovulation.
In addition, other ovary-stimulating drugs such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) are also sometimes prescribed for women with fertility problems. These medicines generally come in the form of injections.
Metformin is often used to treat women who have high levels of male hormones which create complications with ovulation. Metformin may be combined with FSH.
Another commonly prescribed medicine, Bromocriptine is often prescribed for women having complications with ovulation caused by high levels of prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production.
*Question: Will my insurance plan cover treatment of infertility?
While there are insurance plans that cover infertility treatments, such coverage is generally dependent on where you live and your insurance coverage. At the present, there are 12 states that have enacted laws that require providers of insurance to cover some form of infertility diagnosis and treatments, either fully or partially. The following states have enacted these laws:
- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- New York
- Ohio
- Rhode Island
- Texas
Laws passed in each state may differ in their coverage in addition to the kinds of treatments that must be covered. If you need further information regarding insurance coverage for infertility diagnosis and treatment, search online for the website of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and click on the State Infertility Insurance Laws link.
About the Author: Infertility expert Isabel Tagge gives expert advice on Ivf Treatment. As editor of Infertility-Tips.com, she offers infertility tips and writes Infertility Questions and Answers for PrettyGreatAnswers.com.
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