Infertility 101: Testing

An Excerpt from Fertility & Beyond: Join the Conversation

By Natalie Burger, MD, Reproductive Endocrinologist

Whether someone is over 35 and their doctor is telling them that their biological clock is ticking—or they’ve been trying for the last 6-12 months without any success at getting pregnant—there comes a point when a person begins to look for professional help. Eventually, people will find their way to a fertility specialist, via referral from their primary care physician or gynecologist, or by searching on their own.

Testing

After the initial consultation, we’ll start with some sort of testing.

The four basic kinds of testing that we would do for most couples would include:

• Blood work
• Ultrasound
• Sperm testing (See the chapter on Male Factor Infertility, Dr. Sandeep Mistry)
• Fallopian tube testing.

This testing will help us determine the underlying cause of infertility.

[One-third of all infertility is attributed to issues involving the woman; one-third is attributed to issues involving the man; and the remaining one-third is either a combination of both male/female issues or unexplained underlying causes. Female infertility can range from hormone imbalances, ovulation issues, defects or damage to reproductive organs, endometriosis and/or genetic related factors.]

The next step of the process would be to regroup and go over the results in order to formulate a plan that’s appropriate for the patient (or couple) based on their diagnosis and what they are comfortable with emotionally, religiously, financially, or otherwise.

About Natalie Burger, MD, Reproductive Endocrinologist

Dr. Burger is Board Certified in both Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility. She has special interests in hysteroscopic surgery, ovulation induction, PCOS, hypothalamic amenorrhea, and recurrent pregnancy loss.

Natalie began her studies in molecular biology at MIT—but realized that women’s health was of particular interest to her. She ended up working in a laboratory where she learned about the field of infertility. She knew that she wanted to specialize in women’s health and thought that obstetrics would be the field of focus. In the end, she realized that infertility treatment and surgery were what really drew her toward the field of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

Reproductive medicine is an ever-changing and dynamic field where she can be a very important part of people’s lives at a point when they’re really struggling and facing personal challenges. She considers it a privilege to work with these special couples and patients in their quest to grow their family.

Contact Information:

Phone: (512) 451-0149
Website: http://txfertility.com

Get your copy of Fertility and Beyond: Join the Conversation on Amazon.