Mountain View, California, is known for its connection to science and technology. And when you live in a town that’s home to companies like Google and Symantec, it’s no wonder that finding and choosing the right doctor can be overwhelming. Fertility doctors do their best to help couples fulfill their child’s dreams. However, before they can have a child, the doctors need to ensure that the parents are fertile and perform a fertility consultation. The following is what you can expect during a Fertility Consultation in Mountain View:
Tests
Before anything else, the doctor will need to know more about your medical history. During the consultation, patients undergo a general physical exam and blood tests to improve fertility. The doctor may also do a urine test to check for infections (the most common called chlamydia) and blockages. The doctor will also check your medical history to note other factors resulting in infertility problems. Some patients are asked to undergo tests like an ultrasound to check the health of their uterus and ovaries. Fit people often have healthy reproductive systems, but there are also cases where this is not true, which is why you must visit a doctor for regular checkups so you can catch medical conditions early before they become severe.
Evaluation of Ovulation
The previous section discussed how women were given a urine test which doctors did to check for infections, but have you ever wondered why doctors do not ask both partners to undergo this same test? The reason is that male fertility can be checked by evaluating the motility of sperm, meaning that male fertility consultation includes an evaluation of sperm count, motility, and morphology. Female fertility is composed of three parts:
- Egg Quality – this is checked through a fertility ultrasound which will let the doctor know how many eggs you have and if your eggs are healthy (they should be fertilizable). Your doctor may additionally look at your ovarian reserve using blood tests.
- Hormone Function – when checking for ovulation, the doctor will take note of the timing of your menstrual period. They may also do hormone level tests to determine if you are ovulating each month.
- Ovarian Reserve – this test is done through blood work or an ultrasound to check the number and quality of ovarian follicles.
Evaluation of Semen
As mentioned above, doctors can tell a lot about a man’s fertility by looking at his sperm, so they usually ask the patient to bring a semen sample to the clinic during the fertility consultation. A sterile cup will be provided by your doctor so that you can collect your semen (for convenience). However, the lab will not accept used condoms for apparent reasons. After providing the sample, it is sent to a laboratory to check your sperm count and motility.
The results may take about three days before the doctor thoroughly evaluates your fertility.
Once your fertility evaluation is done, lab technicians will send the lab results back to your doctor. They will then give you a complete report with recommendations for treatment and further testing. In some cases, spouses who have been diagnosed with infertility may also get screened to see if they can solve their problems together.
