If you have been actively trying to get pregnant for 6 months or more, or if you and your partner are over 35, it is a good idea to check how fertile you are so you can get closer to the bull’s eye. Fertility testing helps you find out the following crucial factors associated with your chance of success.
Factors That Affect Your Fertility
For Women
- Whether you ovulate regularly;
- Whether your period is healthy;
- Are your eggs strong?
- Are your hormones balanced?
- Are your reproductive organs working properly?
For Men
- Are your sperm strong?
- Are your hormones healthy?
- Are your reproductive organs working properly?
Fertility Testing Tools
- Check Ovulation – For Women
Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Charting
This is one easy test you can do yourself that is free and effective. It checks to see when and if ovulation occurs and whether your hormones are healthy. Plot a graph of your body temperatures on every day of your menstrual cycle. A healthy BBT chart looks like this:
Ovulation occurs where there is a sharp rise between the first half (follicular phase) with lower temperatures and the second half (luteal phase) with higher temperatures of your cycle. A chart that doesn’t show this clear spike between the two halves indicates that ovulation might not have occurred. Check my next Blog for more details on How To Do Basal Body Temperature Charting.
Fertile Mucus
Your cervical mucus changes its consistency throughout your cycle. When it becomes thin and stretchy (like egg-white), it is an indication that ovulation is just about to happen. This consistency allows sperm to move upstream into the womb.
Ovulation Kit
This kit can be purchased at a chemist. It predicts ovulation by checking the amount of luteinising hormone in urine, which is a hormone that spikes during ovulation.
Blood Test
You may also find out from a blood test with your local doctor whether and when ovulation occurs.
- Hormone Levels – For Women AND Men
You can find out from blood tests with a local doctor whether your hormone levels are healthy. Fertility-related hormones include follicle stimulation hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, prolactin and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
- Semen Analysis – For Men
This test performed in a fertility clinic tells you the condition of your sperm. It gives you the reading of the volume of the semen, the sperm count, the shape of the sperm, (or morphology), the movement of the sperm (or motility), the vitality of the sperm and the presence of antibodies of the semen.
- Sperm Genetic Test – For Men
This test is recommended for men over 40, couples who have had recurrent unexplained miscarriage, men who have been exposed to toxic pollutants, men with high levels of white blood cells in the semen and diabetic men. It checks for DNA damage of the sperm as a result of ageing, toxicity and infection.
- Pelvic Ultrasound Scan – For Women
This scan checks the condition of the uterine lining (the wall of the womb) to see if there are any fibroids or polyps that could affect your period. It also checks the condition and the size of your ovaries. Ovarian cysts or small follicles are found in women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome.
- Ovarian Reserve Test – For Women
This is a blood test that gives a good indication of the egg count in your ovaries and whether that count is normal for your age. It does so by measuring the Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) which is a hormone in your ovarian reserve.
- Hysterosalpingography – For Women
This test checks for blockages in the fallopian tubes and uterus by the means of X-rays. The presence of blockages affects your ability to conceive.
- Hysteroscopy – For Women
This test checks for the condition of the uterus by means of a small camera that goes through the cervix into the uterine wall. It looks for uterine fibroids, cysts, and polyps as these may affect fertility.
- Laparoscopy – For Women
This test is used to look at the uterus for various conditions including endometriosis. It involves a small incision (cut) in the abdomen or pelvis.
In many cases,Chinese medicine and acupuncture and in vitro fertilisation technology may be able to improve some of the symptoms associated with the conditions. The sooner these tests are done, the higher the chances of treatment success.
You Might Be Also Interested In
- A Woman’s Age and Fertility
- 7 ways to boost male fertility
- Causes of Male Infertility
- Top foods to increase fertility
- The benefit of acupuncture for fertility
- Getting pregnant over 35
How to do basal body temperature charting? Find out from my next Blog. Feel free to leave a comment or contact us on 0404 017 477 Roseville NSW, Australia.
The Author
Jaime Kerr is a registered acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner with over 18 years of experience. Her interest is in fertility/pregnancy support and pain management. Her gentle approach towards healing using acupuncture and Chinese medicine makes you feel safe and empowered. To contact her please call 0404 017 477 Roseville, NSW, Australia.
