Infertility test or fertility test done to help find out why couples do not have children soon. With these various tests, doctors will be helped in determining the right solution for couples to get pregnant quickly.
Starting from "fishing" by adopting children, artificial insemination, sperm donors, to conducting IVF programs, there are many ways that couples do to have children. If you and your partner have been married for more than a year and have sex regularly without contraception but have not yet been blessed with children, it never hurts to see a doctor.
After the examination or test is carried out, you and your partner can discuss what steps will be taken so that you can immediately pet the baby. Problems that arise and cause infertility are sometimes treated right away when an infertility test is done. Here are some fertility or infertility tests commonly performed by men and women.
Infertility Test on Woman
The cause of infertility in women can be checked or known by doing several types of tests. Starting from hormone tests, tests for general health conditions, tests for infectious diseases, to blood rhesus tests.
Hormone Test
Hormone tests are performed to assess a woman's ability to ovulate (produce eggs). Some of the hormone tests that are done include:
- FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone). This is a test to measure the amount of FSH (a hormone produced by the pituitary gland) in the blood. FSH controls the menstrual cycle and egg production in women, and controls sperm production in men. This test is usually performed ondcertain days in a woman's menstrual cycle. The FSH test is usually done to:
- Help find the cause of infertility, whether the number of eggs is low.
- Help evaluate menstrual problems, such as irregular periods.
- Diagnosing disorders of the pituitary gland or diseases related to the ovaries, such as ovarian cysts or polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Knowing if it's time
- LH (Luteinizing Hormone). The LH test is a test to determine the amount of the hormone luteinizing in the blood, namely hormones secreted by the pituitary gland under the brain. Just like hormones follicle-stimulating, hormone luteinizing It also helps regulate the menstrual cycle and egg production. In addition to knowing egg production and menstrual problems, this test is also usually done to find out whether a woman is ovulating or has reached her period. Usually this test is done on certain days in a woman's menstrual cycle.
- Estradiol is a hormone in the blood that helps the growth and development of female sex organs, such as the uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina, and breasts. This estradiol test is done to check the performance of the ovaries, placenta, and adrenal glands, whether there are signs of ovarian tumors, whether the body is not developing normally, and whether menstruation has stopped.
- AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone). AMH is a hormone produced by small follicles in the ovaries. The AMH test is done to find out if there are abnormalities in the ovaries that are the cause of infertility in women. This test can also tell how many eggs are in the body and how much longer the body's fertile period remains. If the AMH level is low, it means that the number of egg reserves is low.
General Health Test
This test is used to determine general health conditions that can affect fertility and pregnancy, for example:
- TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone), which is a test performed to measure the amount of TSH hormone in the blood. This hormone produced by the pituitary gland tells the thyroid gland to make and release thyroid hormones into the blood. A TSH test is done if we show signs of a thyroid disorder. Low levels of thyroid hormone in the body can interfere with the release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation) to interfere with fertility.
- The HbA1c test, which shows your average blood sugar (glucose) level over the last 3 months and tells how well you control your diabetes. This test is performed because people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus are at risk of experiencing menstrual disorders and infertility.
- Vitamin D test, vitamin D plays a role in the female reproductive system and affects sex hormones.
Complete blood test. This procedure looks for problems with the chromosomes in cells. Some genetic disorders or problems can make it difficult for a person to get pregnant or cause miscarriage. It is also possible to check for diseases such as rubella measles which can harm an unborn fetus if infected during the first trimester.
Infectious disease test
Some say that some infectious diseases can affect a person's fertility rate. Therefore, there are several tests carried out to check whether we have a disease that causes infertility, for example a test for hepatitis B disease (hepatitis B antigen, hepatitis B antibodies) and hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS (HIV 1&2), and syphilis (VDRL test).
Blood type test or Rhesus (Rh) blood
Difficulty having children can also be caused by the difference in Rhesus (Rh) blood between the mother and the child who is being conceived. Rhesus is a type of protein present on the surface of red blood cells. Those who have the Rh factor in their bodies are Rh-positive, while those who don't have them are Rh-negative.
Rh-negative women will build antibodies against Rh-positive babies. This means that the mother-to-be's antibodies will attack the baby's own blood, causing miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, anemia, and even death in the fetus or newborn. By doing a blood test, the risk of losing the baby because of the Rhesus difference can be known immediately. Quick and appropriate preventive measures can be taken.
Infertility Test on Man
In addition to women, fertility or infertility tests are also carried out by men. The test procedures carried out are the same as for women, some are different. Some of the procedures are the same, namely the hepatitis B antigen test, hepatitis b antibodies, hepatitis C, HIV 1&2, and VDRL. While the different tests include:
- Water analysis cum. This test is usually one of the first tests done to help find out why a couple is having trouble conceiving children. Why? Because a third of couples who can not have children due to problems with semen or male sperm. Semen analysis was carried out to determine the volume of semen when ejaculating, thick or liquid semen, the number of sperm in the semen, the shape of the sperm, the movement of the sperm, the pH level of the semen, the presence or absence of blood in the semen, and the amount of fructose sugar in the water. cum. All of which determine whether semen conditions are ideal for fertilizing an egg in a woman. The collection of semen samples can be done by masturbating, having sex using a condom, ejaculating outside the body, or ejaculating with electrical stimulation.
- Blood type test. Early research shows that men with certain blood types have a higher risk of infertility than other blood types.
If you and your partner find it difficult to have children, it never hurts to see a doctor or do an infertility test. When the cause is known, the doctor will find it easier to provide the appropriate solution. Keep in mind, these tests are the first step in trying to have children. Other tests and reviews may need to be performed by a specialist to interpret the results and other recommendations.
