What tests are done for infertility?

Written by Zhao Min Ying
Reproductive Medicine
Updated on October 24, 2024
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Couples who have lived together for more than a year and have regular sexual intercourse without using any contraception and still have not conceived are diagnosed with infertility. For men, it is referred to as sterility. Infertility requires couples to visit the reproductive medicine department for relevant infertility tests. The tests for men are simpler, primarily requiring abstinence from sexual activity for two to seven days before undergoing a semen analysis. For women, the tests vary depending on the condition but generally include the following aspects: First, blood tests related to endocrinology are conducted 2 to 4 days into menstruation. Second, from 3 to 7 days after menstruation ends, during which sexual intercourse should be avoided, tests can be conducted to check the patency of the fallopian tubes. Third, ovulation can be monitored by ultrasound from days 9 to 11 of the menstrual cycle until ovulation is confirmed. Additionally, routine gynecological examinations, including checks of the cervix and ultrasound examinations, are also conducted.

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Can a cold uterus and overall body coldness lead to infertility?

Cold womb and overall bodily coldness can lead to infertility. Since a cold womb and overall coldness can cause menstrual irregularities, scanty menstrual flow, and painful menstruation, it is essential to expel the cold promptly. Firstly, drinking ginger water can warm the womb and dispel coldness, or drinking brown sugar water can also effectively regulate these conditions. Moreover, it is important to avoid cold and raw foods in your diet; instead, focus on consuming warm foods and drink plenty of plain hot water to accelerate the healing process.

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Which department should I go to for infertility treatment?

For infertility issues, one should first visit a formal hospital. At the hospital, men can choose to see either a traditional Chinese medicine andrologist or a Western medicine andrologist, while women can opt to visit a traditional Chinese medicine infertility specialist, or a gynecology or obstetrics department. After consulting these departments, doctors will conduct various tests to identify and rule out causes of infertility. Then, based on the test results, they will administer targeted treatments or interventions. This approach helps infertility patients to conceive as soon as possible.

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What are the routine examinations for infertility?

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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Where to apply moxibustion for infertility?

The principle of traditional Chinese medicine treatment for infertility mainly involves nourishing kidney qi, benefiting essence and blood, nurturing the Conception and Thoroughfare Vessels, and regulating menstruation as the general principle, through which syndrome differentiation and treatment are applied to treat the condition accordingly. For infertility moxibustion, the following acupuncture points can be selected: The first one is the Guanyuan point, also known as Dantian, located 3 inches below the navel. The second is the Qihai point, located on the anterior midline of the lower abdomen, 1.5 inches below the center of the navel. The third is the Uterus point, located on the lower abdomen, 4 inches below the center of the navel and 3 inches aside from the midline. The fourth is the Sanyinjiao point, located on the inner side of the lower leg, 3 inches above the tip of the medial malleolus. The fifth is the Zusanli point, located on the outer side of the lower leg, 3 inches below the knee. These are the main acupuncture points.

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What should infertile women check for?

The examination of infertile women mainly includes the following aspects. First is the physical examination, which covers a general examination and an examination of the internal and external genitalia. Through the physical examination, it can be determined whether the female sexual characteristics are normal and whether there are any abnormalities in the development of the external genitalia. The second type of examination is auxiliary examination, the most common of which are blood tests and ultrasound exams. Blood tests can provide information on whether there is any infection, the type of blood, and the endocrine situation. They can also examine chromosomal conditions. Through ultrasound, it is possible to find out if there are any abnormalities in the uterine adnexa. Additionally, there are some special tests, including ovarian function tests, fallopian tube patency tests, hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, and post-coital tests, among others.