What are the routine examinations for infertility?

Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
Updated on September 04, 2024
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Infertility examinations typically include physical exams and special tests. Physical exams mainly involve checking the development of internal and external reproductive organs and secondary sexual characteristics. Special tests can include examining the quality of male semen, endocrine conditions, and anti-sperm antibodies. Additional procedures can include scrotal ultrasound, prostate ultrasound, prostate massage fluid analysis, and monitoring of the spermatic veins with ultrasound to check for varicoceles.

For females, it is important to check for any underlying diseases and ensure normal development of the uterus, ovaries, and adnexa. Examinations should also check for uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, and endometriomas, and assess for any abnormalities in the reproductive tract. Monitoring ovulation is also crucial to identify any abnormalities in ovulation. If ovulation is normal, the patency of the fallopian tubes should be checked, which can be done through a fallopian tube iodine contrast imaging procedure.

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Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
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Can infertility be treated with IVF?

Infertility cannot be universally treated with IVF; it requires specific analysis of each case. Before considering IVF, a pre-operative assessment is necessary to determine if the criteria for IVF are met. Infertility can be caused by male factors, female factors, or unknown reasons. Male factors can be addressed with artificial insemination or third-generation IVF. Female factors, like tubal issues, are suitable for IVF. If ovarian factors can stimulate follicle production, IVF is also possible. However, uterine factors causing infertility preclude the use of IVF.

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Written by Shen Li Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Can low estrogen cause infertility?

If a woman's blood test reveals low estrogen levels, it may affect normal conception. Firstly, with low estrogen levels throughout the menstrual cycle, there can't be a peak change, which may lead to abnormal ovulation or anovulation. Additionally, if estrogen levels are low, the endometrium cannot proliferate effectively, leading to insufficient endometrial thickness and making it difficult for the fertilized egg to implant. Some women may conceive despite these issues; however, due to insufficient hormone levels, they may experience abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, threatened miscarriage, or even arrested fetal development.

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Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
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Can immunological infertility be treated?

Immunological infertility is treatable. There are several main methods for treating immunological infertility. The first method is the blocking therapy, which involves using condoms for 3-6 months to make the sperm antigen antibodies disappear, thereby increasing the conception rate through alternate day intercourse. Many women are able to conceive through this method. The second method is in vitro fertilization, which is chosen if there is a high density of antisperm antibodies in the woman's body, making in vitro fertilization necessary for conception. This method generally has a high success rate. The third method is intrauterine artificial insemination. When there are many antisperm antibodies in the woman’s cervical mucus, this method involves treating the male’s semen outside the body, selecting high-quality sperm for artificial insemination. The fourth method is immunosuppressive therapy, which primarily involves the use of corticosteroids. However, the use of these hormones often causes some adverse damage to the body.

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Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
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Where is a good place to treat infertility?

The best treatment for infertility is to visit reputable public hospitals or specialized reproductive medicine institutions in your area. Treating infertility often isn't a matter of days, nor can it be resolved simply with medication or injections. It requires a clear diagnosis of the cause, and treatment should be targeted accordingly. For instance, if the cause is related to the male partner, he should receive treatment; if it's related to the female partner, she should be treated. Therefore, choosing these reputable reproductive medical institutions for effective examinations and accurate diagnoses is vital for effective treatment and to avoid wasting time and money.

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Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
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"What does infertility OC mean?"

Infertility OC refers to the ovarian stimulation protocols for in vitro fertilization (IVF), commonly divided into long and short protocols. Ovarian stimulation in IVF is done to obtain more eggs for better results. The choice between protocols is not determined by time, but by assessing the patient’s ovarian function. Patients with good ovarian function use the long protocol, while those with poor ovarian function use the short protocol. Although the long protocol takes more time, it provides better ovulation results and a more consistent ovarian response, preventing premature ovulation. The short protocol, although quicker, often has less effective stimulation results and an inconsistent ovarian response, which frequently leads to premature ovulation. Thus, the long protocol is the standard for ovarian stimulation, while the short protocol is a contingency plan used when there is concern that poor ovarian function might prevent follicle development with the long protocol.