Every family wants to hear children's laughter in their home. But often after a year of active sexual activity, the long-awaited conception does not occur. In this case, each spouse asks herself a question: how do I know if I can have children? Where can I carry out the necessary tests? You can learn all about fertility tests from specialists in reproductive medicine blades.
Who's guilty?
When spouses have no children for a long time, as a rule, they primarily think of a woman. But statistics say that problems with reproductive function are also common among the stronger sex.
So, 45% of couples who come for examinations find out the cause of infertility on the part of men, which is why it is important to pass a diagnosis on fertility to both partners.
Where to go
How do I know if I can have children? With this question, couples come to clinics for examination, expecting maximum help from specialists. Indeed, family planning centers specialize in solving problems with infertility, diagnosing and treating diseases of the reproductive system, prepare a woman for conception, conduct an IVF procedure, and also carry out pregnancy management.
These medical facilities are equipped with all necessary equipment to identify pathologies that prevent the fertilization of the egg and the bearing of the fetus. The work of family planning centers is impossible without highly qualified reproductologists and more. Success in the treatment of infertility depends on the coordinated work of geneticists, obstetrician-gynecologists, endocrinologists and embryologists. In addition, in preparing the spouses for conception, the necessary psychotherapeutic correction is carried out.
When the couple realized that there is a problem with conception, specialists carry out all the necessary tests. "May I have children?" The answer to this question will be known after decoding the survey results.
Causes of infertility
Among women, the most common medical factors that cause inability to conceive are:
- problems with ovulation (in 36% of cases);
- obstruction of the fallopian tubes (30%);
- endometriosis 18%;
- hormonal disruptions;
- sexually transmitted infectious diseases, etc.
The ability of a man to reproduce does not depend on his sexual activity, but on a qualitative and quantitative indicator of sperm. Infertility is caused by such factors:
- decreased sperm motility and activity;
- a rapid decline in their numerical indicator;
- disruptions in their progress along the vas deferens and outward ejection.
If you ask a specialist a question: “How do I know if I can have children?”, Then he will first assign the analysis to the spermogram to the man.
Premature menopause or ovarian exhaustion syndrome
An infertile couple based on an examination may hear the diagnosis of follicular depletion in the spouse. This pathology is rare, only 1.6% among the population.
The disease is characteristic of women aged 36-38 years, or even earlier. The clinic of follicular depletion syndrome is the termination of ovarian function, that is, the onset of premature menopause, accompanied by the termination of the menstrual cycle, hot flashes, irritability and headaches.
Causes of pathology:
- female genetic predisposition;
- surgery on the ovaries;
- dysfunction in the work of the pelvic organs.
The disease is detected by hormone tests, ultrasound, laparoscopic biopsy and other medical studies. When asked by a woman if I can get pregnant with ovarian exhaustion syndrome, the response of the reproductologist will be in the affirmative. But this is impossible in a natural way, only with the help of IVF and donor oocytes.
Endometrial examination
The uterine mucosa is diagnosed by two methods. The first is ultrasound screening, which allows you to evaluate the endometrium and its condition. The second is hysteroscopy. This is the introduction of a small chamber into the uterine cavity, as well as the sampling of the mucosa for biopsy.
Endometriosis provokes malfunctions in the processes of ovulation and egg maturation, adhesions in the genitals can form, which, accordingly, reduces the chances of conception.
"How do I know if I can have children with a diagnosis of endometriosis?" - women ask. We answer: pathology does not mean 100% infertility. After treating the disease, many women succeed in becoming pregnant.
Patency of the fallopian tubes
The study is prescribed in the case when the tests are normal, the doctors give a favorable prognosis, but the woman still can not get pregnant for a long time. Another reason for the appointment is an ectopic pregnancy in the past. Based on the patient’s health status, the doctor prescribes one of the methods for diagnosing fallopian tubes obstruction:
- diagnostic laparoscopy;
- hysterosalpingography (x-ray);
- hydrosonography;
- fertiloscopy;
- perturbation.
Ideally, ultrasound should not show the fallopian tubes. To find out their structure and patency, the pipes are filled with contrast liquid or saline solution heated to body temperature. The procedure is absolutely painless. Laparoscopy is performed under general anesthesia. Perturbation is the blowing of pipes with carbon dioxide under pressure.
Blood hormone tests
To the question: "How do I know if I can have children?" - the woman will be answered with a blood test for the anti-Muller hormone, which allows you to evaluate the functional reserve of the ovaries. AMH is a substance that affects reproductive abilities. Any abnormalities in the formation of the hormone make pregnancy difficult and difficult. The examination is prescribed for:
- fertilization problems;
- an unsuccessful attempt at IVF, that is, the body did not respond to stimulation;
- infertility of unknown genesis.
The higher the AMG, the higher the birth rate, the more chances of a successful IVF. A low level of the hormone indicates onset menopause, obesity, and dysfunction in the ovaries.
Exceeding the AMG norm indicates an ovarian tumor, pilicystosis, anovulatory infertility, etc.
Blood sampling for analysis is carried out on the third day of the cycle. Preparation for the test involves the exclusion of physical exertion and stress three days before blood sampling. An hour before the study, you should stop smoking and eating food. Decryption of the analysis is carried out by the reproductologist.
To assess ovarian reserve, that is, the ability of the ovaries to respond to stimulation, together with AMH, tests for inhibin B and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) also allow.
The thyroid gland directly affects the woman's reproductive function, therefore, when planning pregnancy, it is important to take tests for TSH, T4 free and antibodies to thyroid peroxidase (AT-TPO).
Spermogram: stages of the examination
The reliability of the result depends on how correctly the biomaterial was delivered. It is important to follow certain rules.
Preparation. A man is recommended to abstain from sexual activity for several days (no more than 7, no less than 2). During this period, it is necessary to exclude fatty and fried foods from the diet, not to drink alcohol and any medications, refuse to visit the bathhouse and try to avoid hypothermia. Up to the point that it is impossible to include heated seats in cars on the way to the laboratory. Before taking the test, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the penis with soap and empty the bladder.
Fence ejaculant. Biomaterial should be obtained only by masturbation. This happens in a separate office in the clinic or at home, but then you need to bring the container with sperm within an hour. It is forbidden to use for analysis biomaterial obtained by oral or interrupted sexual intercourse with the use of lubricants or a condom, since they contain substances that affect the speed of sperm.
Seed liquid is collected in a sterile container. Many laboratories insist on collecting material within the institution without accepting the ejaculant brought from home.
Cautions. It is worth abandoning the collection of material if the man has had a fever above 38 or antibacterial drugs have been taken over the past two months.
Spermogram is an important test. "May I have children?" - the man learns the answer to the question based on the results of this survey.
Identification of genital infections
"Nothing hurts and does not bother" - this is not a reason to abandon research. Most infections are asymptomatic and chronic. These diseases, as a rule, are detected by chance, when finding out the causes of infertility, and in the process of planning conception. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) include:
- bacterial (chlamydia, ureaplasmosis, gonorrhea, mycoplasmosis, syphilis);
- viral (hepatitis, herpes, HIV, molluscum contagiosum and human papillomavirus);
- parasitic (pubic lice).
Diagnosis of STIs is carried out by:
- PCR;
- bacteriological culture;
- biochemical blood test;
- serological metol.
Summary
If the year of active sexual life turned out to be ineffective for the couple, and the desired pregnancy did not happen, you should not let the situation go by chance. You must ask, "How do I know if I can have children?" to specialists who are engaged in examinations of reproductive functions, and to find out the factors that impede conception.
Knowing the cause of infertility, you can carry out the necessary treatment and reasonably plan your pregnancy.