Male and female fertility tests help our IVF specialists in Cyprus select the best treatment for your condition. As the top fertility clinic in Cyprus, EuroCARE IVF is committed to combining excellent medical care with advanced fertility testing to help you reach your goal of parenthood.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infertility can be described as the inability to become pregnant, maintain a pregnancy, or carry a pregnancy to live birth. Another definition says that infertility is not being able to get pregnant despite having frequent, unprotected sex for at least a year for most couples. This definition has been recently updated, adding women aged 35 years or older who have been not able to conceive after 6 months of unprotected sex.
Infertility is more common than you might think. Indeed, studies show that 12% to 15% of couples are unable to conceive after 1 year of having unprotected sex, and after 2 years, 10% of couples still have not had a live-born baby. This means that around 1 in 7 couples may have difficulty conceiving. In the UK, this is approximately 3.5 million people.
Infertility across the world can be found in two main forms. These are:
- Primary infertility – refers to the cases where someone with no pregnancy history has difficulty to conceive
- Secondary infertility – where someone has had 1 or more pregnancies in the past, but is having difficulty conceiving again
Infertility can actually result from an issue with either you or your partner, or a combination of female and male factors that contribute to infertility.
According to the NHS (National Health Statistics) report:
- In one-third of infertile couples, the problem is with the man.
- In one-third of infertile couples, the problem can’t be identified or is with both the man and woman.
- In one-third of infertile couples, the problem is with the woman.
Fertility Testing North Cyprus
Before coming to Cyprus for IVF treatment, EuroCARE IVF requires you and your partner to have various tests carried out in order for our fertility doctor to confirm your personalized treatment plan. The fertility test for our female and male patients guide our IVF specialists as to what medication or procedure is needed for you personally to increase your chances of pregnancy success.
With all IVF treatments, we must make sure we do everything possible to give the treatment the best chance of a successful result. When we have established which treatment best suits your individual needs to build a family, your patient coordinator will send you the full details regarding the treatment process.
Hormone Blood Tests
Anti Müllerian Hormone (AMH). Women are born with their lifetime supply of eggs which gradually decrease in quantity and quality with age. AMH is a hormone secreted by cells in developing egg sacs (follicles). The level of AMH in a woman’s blood is a good indicator of her ovarian reserve. A high AMH level indicates a good egg reserve.
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). FSH is the main hormone involved in producing mature eggs in the ovaries. The less follicles (eggs) we have, the more our brain produces FSH to try and push and develop follicles. Therefore a high FSH level is an indication of low egg reserve and poor fertility.
Estradiol (E2). Estradiol is a type of estrogen secreted by the ovarian follicles. Estradiol is checked prior to the treatment to determine your ovaries ability to produce eggs (ovarian reserve). High levels indicate you may have a problem with your ovarian reserve. If your FSH level is normal and your estradiol level is high then it could also mean the estradiol is suppressing the FSH. Either of these could mean you may have a reduced chance of success with IVF.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). This test checks for thyroid gland problems. Your TSH level can have an effect on your treatment and so our expert Doctor will check your TSH level and if it is greater than 2.5, medication will be prescribed (Levothyroxine) to lower the levels. A normal TSH level guards against infertility and conception problems (ovarian and implantation related), miscarriage, premature birth, pre-eclampsia, low birth weight and mental problems in the baby. A newly developing fetus relies on its mother’s thyroid function.
Prolactin. During your IVF treatment the medication you use will stimulate your egg growth and thicken your womb lining. Your lining must be an adequate thickness in order to give the embryos the best chance of implantation. Even slightly raised levels of Prolactin can interfere with the response of the womb lining to estrogen as well as affect ovarian follicle growth and development, thereby reducing reproductive potential. Medication can be taken (Dostinex) in order to reduce the levels of Prolactin in the lead up to the treatment.
Antral follicle count. Through a trans-vaginal ultrasound scan prior to coming for treatment, we can count the number of follicles you have in your ovaries, giving an indication of how many eggs you are likely to have. The scan also checks for any anomalies in the womb that could affect the embryo’s chances of implanting in the womb lining, such as fibroids or polyps.
Other Required Testing
Standard tests for anyone coming for an IVF treatment cycle are HIV, HBsAg, and Anti-HCV. The male partner must also have these infection tests carried out and we also recommend a sperm analysis if he does not have any children or you suspect there could be any problems. If a woman is using an egg donor, the only hormone tests we require are TSH and Prolactin along with the scan and infection tests.
Our Patient Coordinators will confirm which tests are applicable for you. All these tests are required for women who wish to use their own eggs in the IVF treatment and should be carried out on day 2 or 3 of the period cycle.
If you’re exploring fertility treatments or have questions about fertility testing, contact us today. Our expert team is here to guide you through every step of your journey.
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