Boston: What You Should Know About Fertility Testing After Age 40

Boston,

If you are considering having a baby over 40, you are likely to have more difficulty conceiving than women in their 20’s and early 30’s. (As you can read on my website, I dealt with conception difficulties for most of my life). My reproductive endocrinologist started with many tests to learn about my fertility situation before we began the actual process of trying to get pregnant over 40. This article will give you an idea of tests your doctor may order to learn about your fertility before you actually begin medical procedures to conceive:

Common Pre-pregnancy testing:

• Clomid Challenge Test (checking egg production)


• Hormone level check: FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), estradiol etc


• HSG: Hysterosalpingogram (checking for blocked tubes). I thought the HSG procedure was more uncomfortable than the nurses indicated it would be; however, it wasn’t really painful. The most uncomfortable part was when they were threading the catheter through the cervix. It was also uncomfortable when they injected the dye. I was able to watch the screen as they conducted the procedure. My doctor, a medical resident, and a radiologist were present so I got my results right away: my tubes were not blocked. From start to finish, it lasted less than 30 minutes (including getting undressed and dressed). I noticed lots of bloody gauze on the instrument table which I believe happened when the catheter was inserted into the cervix. The resident performed the procedure and didn’t have lots of experience so this might be why. During the procedure, they identified a growth in my uterus that required surgery to remove. One thing you should know is that I was fairly uncomfortable for the entire day following the procedure. I went to a baseball game the same day and wish I hadn’t. I had cramping, bloating, bleeding and lots of discomfort. My tips: ask your doctor what type of pain med you can take in advance (better safe than sorry); plan to have a relaxing laying around kind of day following the procedure; and stay positive. This is one step closer to getting your precious baby and is completely worth it! I now have a perfect 5 month old daughter to show for all of the effort. Read more about my HSG experience. Sometimes, the HSG test reveals other potential problems such as a uterine polyp or tumor.


• Sperm efficacy (checking your partner’s sperm count and quality)


• Tests for disease (sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, gonorrhea, etc)


• Tests for measles and chickenpox immunity


• Blood type testing


• CMV (cytomegalovirus)


• Hysteroscopy. This is a test where a scope is used to examine the uterus and potentially remove a polyp or tumor.

When these test results are complete, your doctor will go over the results with you and develop a plan for moving forward. In my case, the HSG test revealed a polyp in the uterus which needed to be removed and required hysteroscopy. All other test results for me were normal and when the polyp was removed, we began the process of trying to conceive. All of this work resulted in a beautiful baby girl who is now 6 months old.

Each person is different. One couple may have all of the above tests and procedures and another couple may have only a few. There are additional tests which may not be listed above but which your doctor may feel are important for your situation. There are many steps to getting pregnant over age 40 and they generally begin with testing.

Source by Deborah Lynn White

What You Should Know About Fertility Testing After Age 40