There are several possible reasons related to fertility disorders that may cause an unfulfilled desire to have children. The causes for infertility may lie with the man, the woman or, in some cases, both partners in the relationship may have fertility issues. The diagnostic process, therefore, is the most important part of creating a successful treatment. Our fertility clinics offer couples who wish to have children extensive diagnostic possibilities in order to discover the cause or causes of their infertility, individualize treatment to suit your unique situation and support an eventual successful pregnancy.
An ultrasound is a method of examination that can be used to view internal organs and other structures.
An ultrasound uses sound with a frequency so high that it cannot be heard by humans. The sound causes vibrations which are reflected by the organs inside the body. The reflected soundwaves are collected and converted to a visual representation. This way, a physician can view the shape, location and size of the patient’s internal organs.
Every woman is born with a certain number of oocytes divided between her ovaries. During her fertile period, the number of oocytes gradually decreases. The number of oocytes someone is born with varies from person to person. Through an ultrasound examination at the start of the menstrual cycle, as well as blood testing for anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), we can determine whether the number of oocytes in your ovaries is normal for your age. The outcome of this examination may be helpful in determining which treatments will work best for you.
There are many types of blood testing which may provide information regarding irregularities which influence your chances of conceiving. Based on, among other factors, your medical history, the regularity of your menstrual cycle and your age, your treating nurse or physician will decide which kind of blood testing is most likely to provide clarity for your situation.
A normal menstrual cycle lasts between 21 and 35 days. If your menstrual cycle repeatedly deviates from this, one possibility is to look into your menstrual cycle in detail. Through extensive hormonal examinations and, if necessary, cycle monitoring, we may be able to determine what is causing these irregularities in your menstrual cycle. Based on the results of this analysis, we can diagnose you and advise treatment to improve the regularity of your cycle.
In addition to an internal ultrasound, it may be helpful to conduct a more extensive internal examination.
This examination is a method used to evaluate the vagina and the cervix. In addition to this, it can be used to bring the cervix into view. This may be useful during fertility treatments which involve, for example, the placement of sperm cells inside the uterus. After positioning the speculum in such a way that the cervix is visible, a thin catheter can be used to insert the sperm cells in the uterus.
During a hysteroscopy, the physician will view the inside of the uterus through a hysteroscope, which is inserted via the vagina.
There are two types of hysteroscopy: a diagnostic hysteroscopy and a therapeutic hysteroscopy.
The fallopian tubes play a vital role in the processes of conceiving and pregnancy. The patency of the fallopian tubes can be examined using a foam ultrasound, HSG (hysterosalpingography; a photograph of the uterus) or a laparoscopy (procedure allowing the physician to view the uterus).
For roughly 30% of couples who come in, the cause for not being able to conceive lies with the man. For roughly 20%, the cause lies with both the man and the woman in the relationship. Male fertility disorders usually come down to the insufficient production of agile sperm cells. If you have never conceived naturally, sperm analysis can provide clarity regarding the quality of your sperm. We conduct semen analyses in our specialized laboratory.
Male fertility disorders can be hereditary. The chances of a hereditary disorder increase as sperm quality decreases. If there are no or very few spermatozoa present in the sperm (azoospermia/severe oligozoospermia), the chances of the man having a genetic disorder are roughly 10-25%. If our laboratory finds no or very few spermatozoa and there is no apparent external cause, we can conduct a genetic examination.
If several sperm examinations repeatedly reveal decreased sperm quality, extended examination can be used to determine the cause.