Female Fertility Tests

Advanced female fertility testing provides answers

Female fertility testing at our Orange County fertility center can identify the cause of your inability to get pregnant, so that your fertility specialist can develop a treatment plan to help you have a baby. The results of your fertility tests will help you and your physician make informed decisions about the next steps on your journey to growing your family, so that you can pursue the fertility treatments that give you the best chance of success.

Options for female fertility testing

Your fertility specialist will order female fertility testing based on your medical history. Tests may include:

Hormone tests. Blood tests to measure specific hormones can reveal a great deal about your egg supply and ovulatory status. Common hormone tests measure blood levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estrogen, androgens (testosterone, DHEA-S), prolactin, progesterone, and thyroid hormones (TSH, T4).

Antral follicle count. An antral follicle count via transvaginal ultrasound allows your fertility specialist to count the number of follicles on your ovaries. This occurs early in your cycle and can indicate your ovarian reserve.

Post-coital test. Performed within one day of intercourse, this test examines the cervical mucus to determine if sperm can pass through the cervix and into the uterus.

Hysterosalpingogram (HSG). This 10- to 30-minute procedure uses X-rays and special dye injected through a thin catheter passed through the cervix and into the uterus and fallopian tubes. This test can reveal uterine abnormalities that can prevent embryo implantation. It can also find blockages of the fallopian tubes that could prevent sperm from reaching eggs. The test is performed between day 9 and 12 of your cycle at one of the following locations, with a written order from your fertility specialist:

  • Hoag Hospital (Newport Beach)
  • Hoag Health Center (Irvine)
  • Newport Imaging (Newport Beach)
  • Mission Hospital (Mission Viejo)
  • Mission Regional Imaging (Mission Viejo)

Many women experience cramping. As such, we recommend that you take Advil, Motrin or Aleve one hour before the test.

Look at more testing options

Diagnostic laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. These outpatient, minimally invasive surgical procedures can find and treat endometriosis, pelvic adhesions or scar tissue, fibroids, polyps, and congenital abnormalities of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. Typically, these procedures involve three half-inch or smaller incisions, five hours at an outpatient surgical facility, and one to two days of recovery time. These procedures are scheduled for the first half of your menstrual cycle.

Diagnostic office hysteroscopy. Performed in our Orange County fertility center, this brief procedure can diagnose fibroids, scarring, polyps or uterine malformations. Your fertility specialist inserts a narrow, lighted scope through your cervix to view the uterine cavity on a video screen. If this test is ordered, you will be asked to call our office on the first day of your cycle to schedule the test to take place between days 5 and 11.

Get answers, get treatment

To learn more about female fertility testing, contact our Orange County fertility center to schedule a consultation.