Fertility Testing

Ovarian reserve is the number of eggs left in the female. A woman makes all the eggs she will ever have before she is born, about 6 million eggs. Then at birth only 1 million is left because the eggs have already died. By puberty only 500,000 eggs are left. The egg count is constantly decreasing until menopause around age 52 when there are no more eggs left.

Fallopian tubes are where the sperm and the egg meet. If the tubes are blocked, the eggs are on one side and the sperm on the other side. They cannot meet and pregnancy cannot occur.

Third party reproduction is when an outside person is involved to help build your family by either donating sperm, egg, or uterus to carry the pregnancy.

Basic fertility testing for the woman will take 2 visits over 7-10 days at the beginning of the menstrual cycle.

Some, but not all insurance cover fertility testing.

Egg count testing is a vaginal ultrasound and blood draw. Patient’s experience minimal discomfort with both procedures.

Uterine testing requires insertion of a catheter into the uterine cavity and the uterine cavity is distended with fluid. Insertion of the catheter and uterine distension can cause some cramping equivalent to menstrual cramping.

Fallopian tube testing requires insertion of the catheter into the uterine cavity, distension of the uterus with fluid, then the filling and spilling of the fluid from the fallopian tubes. This procedure is usually quick with minimal pain if the fallopian tubes are open, but can also cause significant cramping and discomfort if the tubes are blocked.