Fertility Help – Getting to Know Infertility Tests and Treatment

By Isabel Tagge

* Question: How do you test for infertility?

On your first visit to a fertility specialist you will receive an examination to determine to what extent the infertility problem exists. The fertility specialist usually begins with a physical exam. You will most likely be asked to provide a history of the medical and sexual histories of your partner and yourself.

Once this is done, your doctor will run some tests. It is general procedure for men to undergo semen specimen tests. In this test the sperm will be evaluated based on ejaculation volume, shape and movement (also known as motility). There may also be a need for additional tests among which may include hormone tests.

For a woman, the fertility specialist will try to determine whether or not she is ovulating properly every month. In order to determine this, she will need to either take her temperature and record it every morning along with cervical mucous texture using a home kit for testing ovulation. To check whether or not ovulation is occurring, you may need to take some additional tests. These tests may include blood tests to determine hormone levels and an ultrasound for checking the ovaries.

* Question: Which drugs do fertility specialists use for treatment of infertility in women?

When a woman is having problems with ovulation, the medication Clomiphene Citrate is often prescribed. This drug is commonly used for women experiencing disorders such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or others causing complications with ovulation.

The human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) is the medicine usually prescribed for women who do not ovulate because of pituitary gland problems. It acts directly on the ovaries to encourage ovulation.

In addition to hMG, women experiencing infertility problems may be prescribed medications such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). You will most likely receive these medications in the form of an injection.

Metformin is generally used to treat women with high levels of male hormones which interfere with ovulation. Metformin may be combined with FSH.

Another common fertility drug Bromocriptine is often prescribed for women having ovulation problems caused by high levels of prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production.

* Question: Will my insurance plan cover treatment of infertility?

While some insurance plans do cover infertility treatments, such coverage may be dependent on where you are from and your insurance policy. At present, twelve states have enacted laws that require providers of insurance to cover varying degrees of infertility diagnosis and treatments. The following states have enacted these laws:

- California

- Texas

- Connecticut

- Massachusetts

- Illinois

- Connecticut

- Ohio

- Texas

- New York

- Hawaii

- Montana

- Texas

For each state above, the laws enacted may differ in their coverage in addition to the types of treatments that may be covered. If you need further information regarding insurance coverage for the treatment and diagnosis of infertility, search online for the The American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Once on their website, click on the link for State Infertility Insurance Laws.

Isabel Tagge gives expert advice on everything from Infertility Insurance Coverage to Acupuncture And Infertility. She is editor of www.Infertility-Tips.com
You can get a unique content version of this article.

Article kindly provided by UberArticles.com

Topics: pregnancy | Comments Off

Tags: babies, children, family, fertility, health, home & family, Home and Family, infertility, Medical, Parenting, pregnancy, Women

Reprint Rights

Comments are closed.