When to Consult a Fertility Specialist : 5 Things to know before consulting fertility specialist

So, are you determined to take the first step on your journey to parenting? You plan to arrange a meeting with a fertility specialist in the North West, but you are worried about what to expect. That’s fine, many people have been in your shoes.

You may feel a bit tense since this is a new adventure that you are about to essay — but allow me to be the first to say, congratulations on taking this bold step! 

If you have been having problems conceiving a baby, setting and keeping a meeting with a fertility specialist is crucial. With this, you are taking bold steps by consulting an expert about your fertility health. 

If you are a lady under 35, having heterosexual relations, and have been actively endeavoring to conceive, without using any sort of birth control or barrier protection for a year or more, you should really visit a fertility expert. 

If you are a woman who is over the age of 35, you should see a fertility specialist, if it has been 6 months or greater since you have been maintaining heterosexual relations and vigorously trying to conceive, without using any sort of birth control or barrier protection. 

If you are in the same sex relationship, or if you are single but hoping to become a parent, you should visit a fertility specialist, right away without any delay in time.

To prepare you, expect to go through a series of tests and evaluations to resolve the root cause of your infertility. 

Your fertility expert may also provide you with a complete program and remedy which will be tailored to your needs. Also, please learn that in up to 30% of patients, no clear cause for someone’s infertility can be seen and the case is then classified as, “unexplained infertility”.

Questions like “when should I see a doctor about fertility?” arises in mind.

At North West Gynecology, we think that knowledge is power. We also think that knowledge is the best antidote to handle your fear and worries. 

Your first meeting may be uneasy, but when it comes to helping you overpower the chances of birth, a fertility specialist could make a difference.

Here are the 5 main things that you should learn about to help you set a clear understanding of your first visit and to let the fertility specialist give you the most details, right up front.

1. Are you Ovulating or What is the status of your Ovulation?

One of the initial things your fertility specialist would like to know is the status of your upcoming ovulation (i.e. what are the chances that you are discharging an egg every month?) or whether you are ovulating or not. 

This is something you might be able to figure out on your own before your appointment with your doctor by charting your basal body temperature (BBT) for several months. The easiest method to determine this is by utilizing ovulation kits.

Ovulation kits work by seeing the LH (luteinizing hormone) levels in your urine. LH is a kind of hormone made by your pituitary gland, within your brain, to chat to your ovaries. 

LH levels end, as ovulation approaches, in charge to push the egg into the last phases of maturity and that is a needed step because only a mature egg will be fertilized by sperm. Ovulation happens somewhere between 28 to 36 hours after the LH peak.

If you can afford it, we advise starting your ovulation testing around day 10 or 11 of your menstrual cycle and then executing the test twice daily: when you first awake in the morning and again at around 6 PM in the evening, so as to see the peak at the earliest possible indication of it.

If you have been following your ovulation, using other ways (e.g. if you have been using an application in your phone), bring its record with you, as well.

2. You will need your Fertility Testing

At your first appointment with your fertility specialist, you will sit down with your doctor to review your and your partner’s medical records, and then, they will summarize the fertility tests which you will need to have done. 

You will talk about things like your present well-being, your family health records including both sides of your parents’ families when known, and health details about your partner. 

During this conversation, you will also want to share that you have been charting and clarify what is going on with your cycle.

The expert may ask you to get a series of physical tests including weight, height, blood testing, blood pressure, and semen analysis (for men). 

You will most probably, at some point, undergo an ultrasound to test the lining of your uterus and to check for likely ovarian cysts and fibroids to see if there could be any physical problems in the womb that restrict you from conceiving. 

In addition, you will most probably be ordered for a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) which is a specialized X-ray test, used to assess the fallopian tubes — the site in your body where sperm and egg meet to form a baby.

If these examinations have already been done, your fertility expert will examine and discuss the results with you at that first visit.

3. Semen Analysis Test for Men

This point is a continuation of the earlier one, but let me explain a bit about semen analysis. For men, semen analysis (SA) is the primary test for infertility. This is accomplished by taking an ejaculated semen sample and assessing it in the lab.

The sperm in the sample is monitored and counted for possible problems with motility (the ability of sperm to move alone through the female reproductive tract), concentration (total number of sperm), and morphology (how the sperm look, overall). 

We know giving a sperm sample can be an anxiety-inducing procedure for most men. However, this is truly a clear process and it helps the couples move on to the next step. 

Almost Fifty to sixty percent of all couples struggling with infertility have something going on with both the male partner, as well as the female partner. So, the sperm must be reviewed as part of the initial assessment.

4. Basics of the Fertility Treatment

After a long series of testing and diagnosis, your fertility specialist can put together a treatment plan tailored according to your needs. 

Even if some or all of the results of the examinations show no definite cause for why you can’t conceive (i.e getting a diagnosis of unexplained infertility), you can still minister for infertility! 

Once your fertility specialist completes your treatment plan, you will want to learn about a variety of aspects of the treatment. 

With this, it is crucial for you to ask queries such as its time period, possible side effects, the chance of conception success, and the cost of the treatment.

5. Range of the Insurance

It is your responsibility to check the range of your insurance before visiting the clinic. Make sure you are well informed about what your local, state, federal, or private medical insurance plans will cover. 

Frequently, the clinic’s billing department will have contacted your insurance provider to determine how much, if any, you need to pay out-of-pocket for your first consultation but this is not a condition of theirs.

The cost of infertility treatment and associated medication can be awful for some couples. You may be introduced to financial help to ensure you get the help you need and deserve. 

At our clinic, we may discuss details about discounts, insurance ranges, financing plans, and loans.

After your first appointment, a follow-up may be scheduled to discuss your results and all treatment choices. 

For some patients, treatment methods may be started during this follow-up visit or planned for the next appointment, relying on the time of your first meeting and whether other tests or surgeries are required.

Winding Up!!!

It is vital to talk about what you are feeling, whether you are undergoing the treatment yourself or helping a partner who is. If you see this hard to do, think of seeing an infertility advisor who is specially trained to guide people about the emotional minefields of fertility treatment.

Infertility can be a battle, but your fertility specialist in the North West is there to help you overwhelm this hurdle and help you attain your pregnancy goal.

While at the clinic, make the most of your meeting. Ask as many queries (like “can IVF help with unexplained infertility?”, etc.) as you like, to ensure you have clarifications for your problems. Remember, everyone at the fertility clinic is there to guide you and cheer you up. 

At North West Gynecology we deal with all the queries like – what can doctors do to increase fertility?, what doctor to see for infertility problems?, etc.. We believe in giving accurate information to the couples. So don’t feel alone and just cheer up!!!