Tests for Female Infertility. What is fertility in females? How to check fertility for females?

Tests for Female Infertility

Introduction

Nowadays, Many women in the world are going through infertility problems. Some women facing problems like miscarriages can be termed as infertility. Infertility in women is caused by hormonal imbalances, age factors, and also lifestyle issues, physical problems, environmental factors, etc. Women's infertility and their ability to produce eggs fall under the same place. Sometimes, the ovaries stop producing eggs before natural menopause or may not produce healthy eggs required for conceiving. When a physician finds the exact cause of infertility, it is easy to recommend infertility tests for women, which solves many issues, and the woman who wants to be a mother can conceive immediately.

What is Infertility?

Infertility means not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying and six months for those who are 35 years or older. Also, the woman can get pregnant, but after some time or some weeks, she is facing a miscarriage. And when this happens again and again, it is also called infertility.

What causes Infertility in Women?

There is a process to get pregnant. And it has many steps. Let's understand the process of getting pregnant first-

1. Ovulation- The woman's body releasing the eggs from one of her ovaries is called ovulation. Ovulation starts after the menstrual cycle.

2. After egg production, these eggs journey from the ovary to the fallopian tube and then to the uterus, also called the womb.

3. Fertilization- When the women have sex, the eggs must have to join with the men's sperm, called fertilization.

4. Implantation- when the egg is fertilized with men's sperm, it must attach to the inside of the uterus.

Infertility can happen when there is a problem in the above process.

Causes-

Some women fail to ovulate, which is the natural cause of infertility. Some are facing problems in ovulation due to hormonal imbalances, thyroid conditions, and some eating disorders.

Age of Women- Doctors always suggest trying to get pregnant before 35 years. If the woman crosses 35 years, it might get difficult to conceive; doctors recommend a test and prior consultation for conceiving after 35 years.

Some women are facing problems with the uterus. This includes polyps and fibroids in the uterus. This also interferes with getting pregnant.

Women also face problems with fallopian tubes, and pelvic inflammatory diseases affect fertility.

If the egg production is not enough or the egg quality is not as good as required, then there is also an issue in conceiving.

Obesity, being underweight, having low body fat content, and abnormal menstrual cycle are some lifestyle disorders that can also affect the fertility of women.

Tests to find out the causes of infertility in female:

Following are some tests to find the causes of infertility in female

Basic Tests-

Blood test- In blood tests, female blood samples detect basic tests like blood sugar level, haemogram, etc. Blood testing mainly includes TSH- Thyroid stimulating hormone test and prolactin hormone level testing, which is used to identify any thyroid disorder. Hyperprolactinemia is the main cause of infertility in females, irregular menstrual cycles, and repeated miscarriages. Blood progesterone level testing is also important to check whether ovulation occurred or not.

Physical Examination- in physical Examination, gynaecologists physically examine the pelvic area and check for infection, if any.

USG/Imaging- Ultrasound testing looks at uterine/ ovarian diseases. Also to see the details inside the uterus in regular sonography. Also, the transvaginal ultrasonographic test is there to check the uterus and ovaries for abnormalities like fibroids ovarian cysts, also called PCOS (Polycystic ovarian syndrome).

Ovulation testing- this is a simple test to determine whether you are ovulating or not.

Hormonal testing- This test checks the hormone level. Mainly includes level checking of Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), pituitary, testosterone, etc.

Pelvic exam- this test is done by a gynaecologist to determine the pelvic condition or any pelvic problems.

Hysterosalpingography- This test evaluates the condition of the uterus and fallopian tubes. This is an X-ray procedure. In this procedure, a catheter is inserted through the vagina into the cervix. Contrast liquid is inserted through the catheter which fills the uterus and enters into the fallopian tube. The contrast media was used to study the fallopian tubes, the shapes of the uterine cavity (whether normal or not), and any blockage in the fallopian tube.

Ovarian Reserve testing- Ovarian Reserve testing is the test to evaluate the egg's availability and quality of the eggs. This testing is in the early menstrual cycle. In ovarian reserve testing, the clinician tries to predict whether the female can produce good-quality eggs and how well her ovaries respond to hormonal signals. Ovarian reserve testing is essential to those women who cross the age of 35 years, have a family history of early menopause, have a single ovary, or have a poor response to the hormones.

Advance tests

Hysteroscopy- The Doctor may suggest hysteroscopy to the female depending on the symptoms she has. Hysteroscopy is an advanced test to determine any uterine diseases. During this procedure, the doctor inserted the thin, light device into your uterus through the cervix. Through the device, doctors can see the abnormalities in the uterus.

Laparoscopy- Laparoscopy is an invasive surgery. In laparoscopy, the surgeon makes a small incision through the navel and inserts a thin viewing device called a laparoscope to see the problems in the fallopian tube, ovaries, and uterus. Laparoscopy is also used to see any scarring blockages in the fallopian tube or endometriosis. In laparoscopy, the surgeon evaluates the pelvic cavity for endometriosis, pelvic adhesion, and other abnormalities. However, laparoscopy is not the first option suggested to patients because the procedure is costly and also includes some surgical risks for female patients. It may be recommended after the results of other testing and women's surgical history, like pelvic pain or previous surgery.

Genetic testing- Genetic testing is used to identify any genetic disorder or DNA abnormalities that interfere with fertility. Genetic testing is recommended for females who have a family history of miscarriages and infertility.

Conclusion

Infertility in females is a common disorder nowadays. However, some tests can identify infertility and its causes. By following the doctor's advice, following up regularly, and following the tests, it's easy to understand the exact cause of infertility, and the women who want to be moms can conceive or get pregnant to enjoy the joy of Motherhood.