Did you know that about 1 in 8 couples have trouble getting pregnant? About 7.4 million women have received some sort of infertility service to help them get pregnant. If you want to get pregnant but are having difficulties, find out more about infertility and how one of our OBGYNs Dr. Mary Girling and Dr. Camille Mellijor-Figg here at Jackson Hole Care for Women can help.
What is infertility?
While some women may take longer than others to become pregnant, some women are faced with infertility. Infertility is defined as,
- A woman under the age of 35 that hasn’t conceived after 12 months of unprotected sex
- A woman over the age of 35 that has not conceived after six months of unprotected sex
How is infertility diagnosed?
Fortunately, there are many diagnostic services that our gynecologists offer to help pinpoint the root cause of infertility. While discussing your medical history and performing a physical exam are expected, certain diagnostic tests may also be administered including:
Endocrine system tests
Since the endocrine system contains all the hormone-producing glands sometimes infertility may be the result of an issue with the endocrine system. Common endocrine system tests include,
- Basal Body Temperature Charting (BBT)
- Endometrial Biopsy
- Testing for Luteinizing Hormone
- Ultrasonography
- Estradiol test (to test the health of the ovaries)
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) test (to test the health of the ovaries)
Ovarian Testing
Laparoscopy is the most common ovarian test. This surgery is performed using a thin tube to examine the health of the reproductive system including the fallopian tubes, uterus, and ovaries. These tests are more commonly performed if the woman is over 33 years old or if she is dealing with any of these other risk factors:
- A cigarette smoker
- Recurrent miscarriages
- Ovarian surgery
- Family history of early menopause
Pelvic Testing
If we believe that a pelvic disorder such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is the cause of your infertility, we may recommend getting ultrasonography or hysterosalpingogram.
Treating Infertility in Women
The treatment we recommend will depend on the cause. Here are only some of the most common types of infertility treatments:
- Taking medications like metformin or clomiphene if you are having trouble ovulating
- If the cause of your infertility is unknown you may also consider hormone injections or insemination
- If you have blocked fallopian tubes then you may need tubal surgery
- If endometriosis is to blame, laparoscopic surgery may be recommended to remove some of the endometrial tissue
Have questions or concerns about infertility? Are you having trouble getting pregnant and would like to speak with our OBGYNs here at Jackson Hole Care for Women for diagnosis and treatment options? If so, call our practice today at (307) 201-1489 to schedule an evaluation.