How is infertility tested?
First a fertility specialist will conduct physical exams and evaluate your and your partner’s health and sexual histories. If there are no obvious problems, like poorly timed intercourse or absence of periods, further tests will be needed. A man’s sperm is tested for number, shape and movement. A woman’s ovulation is monitored, and other procedures, such as a hysterosalpingography or a laparoscopy, can be done to look for problems in the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes. It can take months to determine the cause of a couples’ infertility, so don’t be surprised if your doctor doesn’t find the source of the problem right away.
