Every family wants to hear children's laughter in their home. But often after a year of active sexual life, the long-awaited conception does not occur. In this case, each spouse asks himself the question: how do I know if I can have children? Where can the necessary tests be carried out? All about fertility tests can be learned from the reproductive medicine clinic.
Who is to blame?
When spouses do not have children for a long time, as a rule, they first of all think of a woman. But statistics say that problems with reproductive function are common even among the stronger sex.
So, in 45% of couples who come for examinations, the cause of infertility on the part of the man is found out, which is why it is important to undergo fertility tests for both partners.
Where to go?
How do I know if I can have children? With this question, couples come to clinics for examination, waiting for the maximumhelp from experts. Indeed, family planning centers specialize in solving problems with infertility, diagnosing and treating diseases of the reproductive system, preparing a woman for conception, performing IVF, and managing pregnancy.
These medical institutions are equipped with all the necessary equipment to detect 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 fertility doctors and not only. Success in the treatment of infertility depends on the coordinated work of geneticists, obstetrician-gynecologists, endocrinologists and embryologists. In addition, when preparing spouses for conception, the necessary psychotherapeutic correction is carried out.
When a married couple realized that there was a problem with conception, specialists carried out all the necessary tests. "Can I have children?" The answer to this question will be known after deciphering the results of the surveys.
Causes of infertility
Among women, the most common medical factors causing infertility are:
- problems with ovulation (in 36% of cases);
- blockage of fallopian tubes (30%);
- endometriosis 18%;
- hormonal disruptions;
- sexually transmitted infections, etc.
A man's ability to reproduce does not depend on his sexual activity, but on the qualitative and quantitativesperm index. Infertility causes such factors:
- decrease in motility and vital activity of spermatozoa;
- their rapid decline in numbers;
- failures in their movement along the vas deferens and ejection outside.
If you ask a specialist a question: "How can I find out if I can have children?", then he will first of all prescribe a spermogram analysis for a man.
Premature menopause or ovarian failure syndrome
An infertile couple can hear the diagnosis of "depletion of the follicular reserve" in the spouse based on the examination. This pathology is rare, only 1.6% of the population.
The disease is typical for women aged 36-38 years, and even earlier. The clinic of the follicular depletion syndrome is the cessation of ovarian function, that is, the onset of premature menopause, accompanied by the cessation of the menstrual cycle, hot flashes, irritability and headaches.
Causes of pathology:
- genetic predisposition in the female line;
- ovarian surgery;
- dysfunction in the functioning 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 failure syndrome, the answer of the reproductive specialist will be in the affirmative. But this is impossible in a natural way, only with the help of IVF anddonor oocytes.
Endometrial examination
The mucous membrane of the uterus 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 camera into the uterine cavity, as well as the sampling of a mucosal site for a biopsy.
Endometriosis provokes failures in the processes of ovulation and egg maturation, adhesions can form in the genitals, which, accordingly, reduces the chances of conception.
"How do I know if I can have children with endometriosis?" women ask. We answer: pathology does not speak of 100% infertility. After treatment of the disease, many women manage to successfully conceive.
Permeability of the fallopian tubes
Research is prescribed in the case when the tests are normal, the doctors give a favorable prognosis, but the woman still cannot get pregnant for a long time. Another reason for the appointment is ectopic pregnancies in the past. Based on the patient's he alth condition, the doctor prescribes one of the methods for diagnosing obstruction of the fallopian tubes:
- diagnostic laparoscopy;
- hysterosalpingography (x-ray);
- hydrosonography;
- fertiloscopy;
- perturbation.
Ideally, the fallopian tubes should not be visible during an ultrasound examination. To find out their structure and patency, the tubes are filled with a contrast liquid or saline heated to body temperature. The procedure is absolutelypainless. Laparoscopy is performed under anesthesia. Perturbation is the blowing of pipes with carbon dioxide under pressure.
Blood hormone research
To the question: "How do I know if I can have children?" - a woman will receive a blood test for anti-Mullerian hormone, which allows you to assess the functional reserve of the ovaries. AMH is a substance that affects reproductive abilities. Any disturbances in the formation of the hormone impede the onset and development of pregnancy. Examination is scheduled at:
- fertility problems;
- unsuccessful IVF attempt, that is, the body did not respond to stimulation;
- unexplained infertility.
The higher the AMH, the higher the fertility rate, the greater the chance of successful IVF. A low level of the hormone indicates the onset of menopause, obesity, ovarian dysfunction.
Exceeding the norm of AMH 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. The analysis is deciphered by a 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 reproductive function of a woman is directly affected by the work of the thyroidglands, therefore, when planning a 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 handed over. It is important to follow certain rules.
Preparation. A man is advised to refrain 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, do not drink alcohol and any medications, refuse to visit the bathhouse and try to avoid hypothermia. Up to the fact that you can not turn on the seat heating in cars on the way to the laboratory. Before taking the test, you must thoroughly wash the penis with soap and empty the bladder.
Fence ejaculant. Biomaterial must be obtained only by masturbation. This happens in a separate room in the clinic or at home, but then the sperm container needs to be brought within an hour. It is forbidden to use biomaterial obtained by oral or coitus interruptus with the use of lubricants or a condom for analysis, as they contain substances that affect the speed of spermatozoa.
Semen is collected in a sterile container. Many labs insist on in-house collection without accepting ejaculant brought from home.
Warnings. It is worth refusing to take the material if, over the past two months, the man has had a fever above38 or have taken antibiotics.
Spermogram is an important test. "Can I have children?" - the man will know the answer to the question from the results of this survey.
Detection of sexual infections
"Nothing hurts or bothers" - this is not a reason to abandon research. Most infections are asymptomatic and chronic. These diseases, as a rule, are discovered by chance, when determining 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 (pediculosis pubis).
STIs are diagnosed by:
- PCR;
- bacteriological seeding;
- blood chemistry;
- serological method.
Results
If a year of active sexual life turned out to be fruitless for a married couple, and the desired pregnancy did not happen, you should not let the situation take its course. You need to ask the question "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 prevent conception.
Knowing the cause of infertility, you can carry out the necessary treatment and reasonably planpregnancy.
