Testing the Woman
Testing the woman first looks at whether she is ovulating each month. This can be done by having her chart changes in her morning body temperature, by using an FDA-approved home ovulation test kit (which she can buy at a drug store). Ovulation also can be checked in her doctor's office with an ultrasound test of the ovaries or simple blood tests that check hormone levels, like the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) test. FSH is produced by the pituitary gland. In women, it helps control the menstrual cycle and the production of eggs by the ovaries. The amount of FSH varies throughout the menstrual cycle and is highest just before an egg is released. The amounts of FSH and other hormones (luteinizing hormone, estrogen and progesterone) are measured in both the man and the woman to determine why the couple cannot achieve pregnancy. If the woman is ovulating, more testing will need to be done. These tests can include:
- hysterosalpingogram (an X-ray checks if the fallopian tubes are open and shows the shape of the uterus
- laparoscopy (an exam of the tubes and other female organs for disease)
- endometrial biopsy (an exam of a bit of uterine lining to see if monthly changes are normal)
- Discover today’s most advanced fertility testing and treatment with Acacio Fertility Center. We work with patients from all over Southern California, from Bakersfield (Central Valley CA) to Orange County, and the OC communities in and around Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel and Lake Forest. Use our convenient Request an Appointment form.
