The First Steps to Dealing with Your Infertility

A couple trying to become pregnant for one year without success is medically considered infertile. If the woman is over 35 years old, the length of time drops to six months for an infertility diagnosis. Infertility doesn’t include miscarriages or an inability to carry a baby to term.

At the OB/GYN office of Dr. Hany H Ahmed in Houston, Texas, Dr. Ahmed and his team understand the frustration that comes with infertility, which is why they provide evidence-based, innovative treatments for couples struggling to get pregnant.

If you, too, are struggling, here are the first steps you should take to deal with your infertility.

What causes infertility?

Infertility can be caused by problems with the female or male reproductive systems, or both. Here, we look at the female system.

Factors that can lead to infertility include:

• Irregular menstruation
• Blocked fallopian tubes
• Past ectopic pregnancy
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Pituitary gland disorders, such as Cushing’s syndrome
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and primary ovarian insufficiency
• Uterine problems, including endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and uterine polyps
• Kidney disease
• Thyroid disease

PCOS, a hormonal imbalance that affects ovulation, is by far the most common cause of female infertility.

The first steps to dealing with your infertility

If you’ve been unable to conceive, the first thing to do is make an appointment with Dr. Ahmed for a fertility evaluation. As part of the evaluation, he performs an exam and runs a number of tests that may include:

• Pelvic exam: includes a Pap smear to check for structural problems or signs of disease
• Blood test: checks hormone levels, including thyroid hormones
• Transvaginal ultrasound: looks for problems with the reproductive system
• Hysteroscopy: examines the uterus with a thin, lighted tube (hysteroscope)
• Saline sonohysterogram: uses saline as part of a transvaginal ultrasound
• Hysterosalpingogram: injects dye into fallopian tubes, uses X-rays to look for blockages

Dr. Ahmed may also conduct a laparoscopy, which needs a small abdominal incision. He inserts a laparoscope (thin tube with a camera) into the incision to identify problems like endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and scar tissue.

Of course, Dr. Ahmed also takes a complete medical history to ensure you don’t have an underlying medical problem interfering with your fertility. If you do, you need to address that problem first.

Your options for infertility treatment

Depending on what the doctor finds as a result of the testing, he discusses your options to increase your chances of getting pregnant. 

If your infertility results from ovulation problems, fertility drugs can change the levels of your reproductive hormones to stimulate ovulation.

In some cases, surgery might be an option. We have procedures that open blocked fallopian tubes and remove uterine fibroids and polyps. Surgery for endometriosis, a condition where the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, doubles your chances of getting pregnant.

Dr. Ahmed also offers more proactive fertility treatments, such as:

• Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
• In vitro fertilization (IVF)
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
• Third-party assisted reproductive technology (ART)

He discusses these with you at your consultation and if other treatments fail.

If you and your partner are struggling to get pregnant, there’s both hope and help available at the office of Dr. Hany H Ahmed. Give the office a call or schedule online.