Fertility Tests For Women

Once you have seen symptoms of infertility, you will want to know about fertility tests for women. It is natural to feel that fear of invasive tests and awkwardness to discuss your sex life. However, there is nothing to worry about, and all you need to do is be strong and have faith.

Testing of infertility in women is more invasive than the male infertility test. The cost of female fertility test is also high. Some insurance policies might cover infertility treatments.

Female fertility test at home

1. Monitor your basal temperature: Your body has a degree temperature higher on the day of ovulation. This is the most fertile day of the menstrual cycle. If there is no rhythm in temperature and no such rise, then infertility in women is probable.
   

   How to monitor basal temperature for testing fertility?

   • Keep a digital thermometer or mercury thermometer near your bed.5577
   • Every day after waking up without getting out of bed take the temperature test.
   • You just have to normally measure your body temperature like in the case of having a fever.
   • Record the results every day.

1. Test your cervical mucus: Quality and quantity of cervical mucus have a significant role in sexual activities. Testing whether you have normal production of cervical mucus can tell you a lot about your fertility.

   How to test cervical mucus for detecting fertility in women?

   • Find out the ovulation day by monitoring your menstrual cycle.
   • Clean your finger and insert it into the vagina and take out cervical mucus.
   • Look at it under bright light.
   • If it is gooey white discharge and is slightly more dense than normal, then it is alright, and otherwise, it indicates a risk of infertility in women.

   You can read more about cervical mucus and cyclic changes in its production.

2. Take an over the counter ovulation test: The market has many ovulation test kits. They may be digital or standard. The ovulation test kits detect luteinizing hormone LH and tell you about your ovulation day.

If your infertility is due to ovulating problems then taking the home ovulation test can help you to find out and confirm that.

Fertility Tests For Women By Doctors 

A doctor has many fertility tests for women depending on the symptoms of infertility in women and causes of infertility in women such as:

1. Medical history discussion: Doctor will ask you about your pregnancy history, family history of infertility, ovulation, and menstrual cycle. She will ask you about your alcohol consumption and smoking habits. She might also talk about your sexual activities like whether you have had unprotected sex with strangers. Keep a list of answers prepared for all possible questions related to sex. This is going to determine the direction of treatments of infertility.
2. Physical examination of the vulva and pelvic region and cervical mucus test: The doctor might want to see your external genitalia for diagnosing any sexually transmitted diseases STDs. These STDs are responsible for causing infertility in women. Cervical mucus test by a doctor is more reliable than a home test of cervical mucus.
3. Testing infertility in women by Hysterosalpingography: In Hysterosalpingography doctors detect any cavity abnormalities inside the uterus, (womb). This itself will open any blocks in the transport path of ova (egg).
   How is a Hysterosalpingography test done for testing fertility in women?
   During this process, doctors fill an X-ray chemical (dye) inside your womb through the vagina. It gushes in and might even flush into the Fallopian tube. The fluid spreads, and it is detectable using detectors. Saline hysterogram uses a saline fluid for filling the womb.
4. Ultrasound fertility tests for women: A doctor may perform an ultrasound to see the internal structure of womb and ovaries.
   How is Ultrasound testing of infertility in women done?
   You will have to drink around 4-5 liters of water. This will expand your urinary bladder, and it will make the inner region of the womb visible. The doctor places the ultrasound machine on patient’s abdomen after applying some lubricants. This technique helps see any uterine fibroids or scars.
5. Laparoscopy fertility tests for women: It is a mild form of surgery. Laparoscopy is advisable if the ultrasound wasn’t enough to test infertility in women.
   How is laparoscopy done for testing infertility in women?
   Doctors insert an optic fiber with a camera through a small incision made near the navel. The doctor will be able to see all the structures inside on a computer screen.
6. Hysteroscopy fertility tests for women: It is visualizing the internal areas of the uterus and Fallopian tubes using an optic fiber.
   How is Hysteroscopy done for testing infertility in women?
   Hysteroscopy is simply done by inserting an optic fiber inside the uterus through the cervix. Doctors visualize the internal structures on a computer screen. It is non-invasive technique, unlike Laparoscopy.
7. Hormone fertility tests for women: Hormones such as prolactin elevate due to cancer of mammary glands. Prolactin causes inhibition of other reproductive processes. Luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, estrogen, and progesterone maintain fertility. Hence a doctor will perform the hormone assays to figure out any hormonal imbalance.
8. Genetic tests of fertility in women: If the sex chromosome is defective in a woman or she has inherited infertility then doctors prescribe a genetic test. The doctor will use a pedigree chart to find out about any such cases. Then the doctor does a karyotype (chromosome test) to detect any chromosomal aberrations.
9. Ovulation test for testing fertility in women: This is a standard test done for infertility in women at home and by the doctor. The professional medical testing will, however, be more comprehensive and will consider more than just a hormone. Hence ovulation testing is a crucial test for infertility in women.
10. Ovary egg reserve determination: Males make sperms de novo throughout their lives. While for females they are born with the entire reserve of eggs. So a doctor might test your egg reserve for testing infertility. It is because a female body cannot produce eggs other than those she is born with. Only maturation of eggs takes place after puberty which is known as the menstrual cycle.
    Clomiphene Citrate Challenge Test for ovaries is the test for ovarian reserves.
    How is Clomiphene Citrate Challenge test for ovarian reserve done?
    Your doctor will test levels of hormones follicle stimulating hormone FSH and estradiol on the third day of the cycle. The doctor gives a set of 5 days prescription of Clomiphene Citrate. Then on the ovulation day again the doctor tests the level of FSH and estradiol.
11. Questionnaire for testing fertility in women: Doctors ask about the menstrual cycle, PMS (premenstrual syndrome), sex habits, etc. for testing infertility in women. They do so to direct their treatment procedure to the right direction and find the cause of infertility in the woman.
12. Endometrial biopsy fertility tests for women: To study the tissues of the uterus and Fallopian tube doctors perform a mild surgical procedure.
    How is endometrial biopsy done for testing fertility in women?
    A doctor studies culture of a small tissue removed from inside the uterus. This detects internal causes of infertility in women. You might experience pain and cramps after the surgery.

After testing you might feel a little tired but most of the fertility tests for women do not have any side effects. Therefore one should definitely see the doctor for testing infertility in her if she feels something is wrong.