INFERTILTY WORKUP

Essential elements of an initial infertility work-up include a review of medical history, laboratory tests and imaging tests. The wife’s tests focus on her reserve of eggs, ovulatory function, and structural problems. The Husband requires a semen analysis only. These complete the initial phase of investigation.

The structural functioning are determined by various methods for evaluation of tubal patency either by hysterosalpingogram (HSG) with concomitant fluoroscopy or laparoscopy and/or hysteroscopy may be considered as a part of the initial workup.

Purely diagnostic laparoscopy for the infertile woman is being used less frequently as more couples are advanced on to ART earlier in the evaluation. Other procedures such as Y chromosome mapping, anti-sperm antibodies, sperm penetration assay (SPA), or other tests of sperm function may be used in certain cases.

In addition, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol levels obtained on the second or  third day of the menstrual cycle.