Читать книгу Dad's Guide to Pregnancy For Dummies - Sharon Perkins - Страница 72

For many couples, the first step toward fixing infertility is admitting that you’re having a problem. It’s not an easy revelation to make because it means that at some basic level, your bodies are failing you. Fertility problems aren’t fair, they’re not fun, and they can be cause for a wide array of emotions, frustrations, and outright anger.

The good news is that this is an age in which getting pregnant doesn’t have to be a simple matter of the birds and the bees. Throw in a doctor or two, and you may be well on your way to conceiving in no time flat.

If you’re not getting pregnant after a few months, especially if your partner is older than 35, it’s time to check things out — for both of you. For her, this may involve the following tests:

 Blood tests: These check hormone levels, including follicle stimulating hormone, or FSH. FSH levels are normally below 9 mIU/ml on day two or three of the menstrual cycle; higher levels indicate decreased ovarian reserve and the possible need for medical intervention.

 Hysterosalpingogram (HSG): This test injects dye into the uterus through a catheter placed through the cervix. The dye outlines the shape of the uterus and fallopian tubes. HSG can identify blockages in or dilation of the fallopian tubes that interferes with embryo transport, and it also shows fibroids and polyps in the uterus, which may interfere with implantation.

 Hysteroscopy: This test uses a hysteroscope, a sort of mini-telescope, to evaluate the uterus for fibroids or polyps. Small fibroids and polyps can also be removed at the time of the test.

For you, it’s a quick trip to the urologist for a full physical, blood work, and a semen analysis. This is the only way you can find out your sperm count and the quality and motility of your sperm.

Semen collection at a medical center is just as uncomfortable as it sounds, but it must be done. Just keep your expectations to a minimum and forget all those movie scenes showing posh rooms, dirty magazines, and absolute privacy. If you have to produce in the doctor’s office or a hospital lab, you may very well find yourself in a bathroom, unable to escape the distractions of screaming children and the witty banter of the nursing staff outside the door.

Some offices allow specimens to be collected in the privacy of your home and then delivered to the lab within an hour. Ask your doctor about this alternative, as well as any special instructions for collection and transportation.