Many couples are worried about their ability to have children. This uncertainty may grow if getting pregnant takes several months. We recommend that you seek advice if you have not become pregnant after 6 months of trying at the latest.
We prepare a plan for the couple containing all necessary examinations, an evaluation of need for treatment and an individual treatment plan. The reasons for infertility cannot always be determined, even with careful examinations. Treatment options are usually available also in such cases. The couple will always be the ones to make the final decision on the types of treatment and the kind of schedule they are prepared to follow. Some 80–85 % of couples can be helped with our current treatment options.
We hope that the couple comes to the first visit together
At the first visit a doctor interviews the couple and discusses any factors in the health and life style of the couple which may affect infertility. A gynaecological examination and an ultrasound examination are usually carried out for the woman. Examinations to be carried out for the man are planned in more detail, following the results of the sperm analysis.
An individual plan of other necessary examinations is prepared for the couple. Preliminary information concerning the various types of infertility treatment is given. If infertility has been investigated or treated elsewhere, you should bring all the documentation related to that care with you. At the first visit, we also explain the practices of our clinic, and you will also meet our nurses.
To start with, the following matters are examined by means of infertility examinations:
– Does the egg of the woman ripen and become released during the menstrual cycle?
– Does the semen of the man contain enough mobile sperm?
– Can the egg and sperm meet, i.e. are the woman’s Fallopian tubes open?
Evaluation of the menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle is examined by means of hormonal tests from blood and ultrasound examinations. The examinations are carried out at specific phases of the cycle in order to form an idea of how the follicle ripens and the egg becomes released. At the same time, the growth of the endometrium with regard to the ripening of the follicle is controlled.
Sperm analysis
The sperm analysis is the most basic fertility examination for men. It determines sperm volume, sperm count, total number of sperm, their motility and shape as well as the presence of any antisperm antibodies. For the examination, the man gives a sperm sample in a quiet, private sampling room. You can come to this examination without referral by calling the Ovumia sperm laboratory to make an appointment and to get further instructions. Call on weekdays from 8.15 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Tampere tel. +358 40 844 2700, in Helsinki +358 20 7479314, in Jyväskylä +358 20 747 9313
Assessment of tubal patency
This examination can be carried out at the beginning of the menstrual cycle before ovulation, usually on days 8–12 of the cycle. Menstrual bleeding must have ended by the day of the examination. Saline solution and air are sprayed into the uterine cavity through a thin catheter. At the same time, the travel of air bubbles through the Fallopian tubes to the ovaries is followed under ultrasound. The structure of the uterine cavity is also checked in this examination.
Fertility counselling
Questions concerning fertility may sometimes cause concern even when pregnancy is not desired at the time. A woman may have an illness affecting fertility, which causes concern with regard to the ability to start a family. Such diseases include, for example, polycystic ovaries, menstrual disorders, endometriosis, hormonal disease, previous eating disorders or malignant diseases treated in childhood. They may make it more difficult to conceive. In men, a treated failure of the testes to descend, a previous orchitis or varicoceles may impair the quality of sperm. In such situations, talking to a fertility expert may help put your mind at rest.
Ask more about our treatments:
International patient coordinator
Nina Pohjanaho
nina.pohjanaho@ovumia.fi
+358 40 623 4443
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