Trying to Conceive

Infertility Test vs Fertility Test

• What actually is Infertility?
• Fertell is a Fertility Test
• Infertility Testing and Treatment 

In our culture, there is a great deal of stigma surrounding infertility testing. This can cause people, especially men, to be reluctant to call their doctors for testing and treatment.  Yet, infertility screening and more advanced infertility testing can provide peace of mind and valuable tools that enable a couple to conceive.


What actually is Infertility?


Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve a pregnancy after one year of timed, unprotected intercourse (although women 35 and older are advised to consult their doctor after six months). This doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t conceive, but you may benefit from medical assistance and infertility testing.


Infertility is surprisingly common. One out of seven couples in the United States will have difficulty conceiving a child.


Fertell is a Fertility Test (aka infertility test)


Fertell provides you with a way to test key fertility elements in the comfort and privacy of your own home, on your timeline. Using Fertell enables you to take a proactive step and gain more information about your fertility status. By using Fertell to assess key elements of your fertility, you can potentially identify factors that are reducing your probability of conception. It does not mean you suffer from infertility.


Doctors won’t typically perform fertility testing unless a couple has tried to conceive for 12 months (six months if the woman is over 35). Fertell enables you to perform fertility screening earlier and to get concrete results before waiting 6-12 months, providing increased peace of mind.

Only fifteen out of fifty states require some type of insurance coverage for fertility testing and treatment, so in many cases, fertility tests and treatment can become quite expensive.  Fertell allows you to assess some of the same key elements of fertility as your doctor would.

Infertility Testing and Treatment


Once a couple has had initial fertility screening completed, many additional tests can be performed if necessary. Doctors will often conduct infertility testing to ensure a woman is ovulating correctly, including hormone and thyroid tests. Men will also have hormone tests done, as well as a semen analysis.

In addition, women may have ultrasounds and special x-rays, called hysterosalpingograms, performed to check the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. A woman may have a laprascopy done. This test involves putting a lighted scope through an incision to check for cysts, fibroids and scar tissue, all of which can affect conception.

Following the results of infertility testing, a couple can pursue many treatments if necessary.  Women may take medications such as clomid to stimulate ovulation.  If medications do not work, there are advanced procedures that can help couples conceive. Two of these are:

Intrauterine inseminations (IUI) – A procedure where sperm are collected and placed into the uterus at the time of ovulation.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) – This procedure includes removing eggs from the ovaries, fertilizing them in a laboratory, and replacing the resulting embryos into the uterus.

 

 


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