Trying to get pregnant? What tests can be done?

Question

My wife and I are trying to have a baby and nothings happening (yet). What tests can be done between the both of us to make sure we even CAN have a baby?

Answer 1

My first recommendation would be to make sure you are both getting proper nutrtion. You need to eat a balanced, healthy and preferably organic diet. You should use vit/mineral supplements as necessary. Vits E, C, Zinc and Selenium are especially important to male fertility. Check out the website http://westonaprice.org/ There's a lot of good information of nutrition and fertility.

Your wife should begin charting her fertility signs (cervical fluid and basal body temperature). Sometimes a delay in conception can be a matter of timing. Charting fertility signs will let you know when your wife is actually fertile. Sometimes a delay in conception can be related to other cycle issues (such as poor quality cervical fluid, short fertile phase, low progesterone, or short luteal phase). These issues can be detected and resolved at home too.

Before you submit yourselves, especially your wife, to any invasive testing and the possibility of fertily drugs (which ALL carry risks), I'd try the above. Definitely find an instructor or an online discussion group (such as Ovusoft.com) to share the charts so that you can get help interpreting the charts and advice. Believe me, you can miss things when you are worried about trying to conceive.

Sources: The books The Art of Natural Family Planning and Taking Charge of Your Fertility. The websites CCLI.org, Ovusoft.com, and Fertilityfriend.com

Answer 2

Fertility testing often starts with blood tests for both people to make sure that your hormones are in balance. They may require a semen analysis from the male, which involves giving a semen sample by masturbation, where they'll check the shape, movement, and quantity of the sperm in the sample. Tests for women may also include things like HSG (hysterosalpingiogram) which involves shooting dye into the uterus and fallopian tubes and using an x-ray to see if the tubes are blocked, or ultrasounds to check the condition of the ovaries.

Most doctors won't consider a fertility issue if a couple where the woman is under 35 hasn't been trying for at least a year, and if the woman is over 35, for at least six months. You can do less expensive and less invasive things at home that can maximize your chances at conception, and may indicate certain kinds of problems with the menstrual cycle, like using ovulatio predictor kits (available from most stores near the pregnancy tests) or charting cycles. Cycle charting uses the basal body temperature (the temperature, taken at the same time each day, as soon as she wakes up, with a special BBT thermometer, before getting out of bed or sitting up, and after at least three hours of sleep) along with cervical position, texture, and cervical mucous observation may help maximize chances of conception by helping you to pinpoint when the most fertile days are. Using the two in combination for a few months may also help determine whether or not she's ovulating. If, after a few months you can see that there's no ovulation, then it may be wise to consult with a doctor.

You can learn more about charting cycles from the website fertilityfriend.com or the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

Answer 3

She would need to see her OB/GYN and they can check that out on her. You would need to talk to your normal clinic doctor to see about having fertility test done.