Types of Female Fertility Testing
Ovarian Reserve Testing
We can get a better sense of your ovarian reserve through testing the hormones that are involved in the ovulation process. Your levels of Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) and Basal Antral Follicle Count (AFC) provide an accurate depiction of your current ovarian reserve, which can be measured through a simple blood test.
Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT)
PGT is a screening method for genetic diseases and chromosomal disorders. It involves screening cells from your embryos prior to transferring them as part of the IVF process.
There are two primary types of PGT tests: preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), both of which enable our fertility specialists to identify the embryos with the highest likelihood of producing a healthy baby. Learn more about PGT here.
Pelvic Sonogram
The pelvic sonogram is often performed early in your fertility evaluation to allow examination of the internal pelvic structures such as the uterus and the ovaries. There’s a lot that we can learn from this test – we can visually see if your tubes are dilated and, if performed during the first 3 days of your cycle, it can give us an assessment of your egg reserve.
Sonohysterogram (sonoHSG)
The sonoHSG involves instilling a saline solution into the uterus through a thin catheter placed within the cervix. As the uterine cavity is distended with fluid, a sonogram is performed to look for any irregularity in the uterine contour. It’s great for detecting lesions in the uterine cavity such as polyps or submucous fibroid tumors, but it is not reliable for detecting an abnormal uterine cavity or tubes.
Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)
HSG can provide a better assessment of the shape of the uterine cavity while also providing helpful information about the tubes. A radiographic dye is injected into the uterus through the cervix while X-ray imaging of the pelvis is conducted. As the dye fills the uterus, it provides a detailed contour of the uterine surface and can reveal polyps, fibroids, adhesions and various forms of congenital uterine anomalies. It also can indicate the extent of tubal abnormalities.
Hysteroscopy
A hysteroscopy is a procedure in which a small camera attached to a thin scope is introduced into the cervix to directly inspect the uterine cavity. The examination can be performed easily in the office to confirm suspicious HSG findings before surgery and it usually takes only 10 minutes.
Laparoscopy
A laparoscopy is usually the final diagnostic test in the infertility investigation. Under general anesthesia, a fiber optic scope is inserted into the abdominal cavity via small incisions to allow examination of the pelvic and abdominal organs. Laparoscopy can help to diagnose endometriosis and pelvic adhesions, conditions not detectable by the HSG. Abnormalities found can often be corrected in the same setting.