How is female infertility diagnosed?

Some women have trouble conceiving and some women can get pregnant but have trouble maintaining that pregnancy. If a woman attempts to get pregnant for more than a year and is unsuccessful or has repeated miscarriages then she will receive the diagnosis of infertility.

Diagnosing the cause of the infertility may take a few months. It will begin with a pelvic exam, complete medical and menstrual history, and a look at lifestyle issues including history of smoking and drug and alcohol use. The next step might be blood work to test the woman's hormone levels and an ultrasound to view the ovaries and uterus. She will also be asked to check for the date of ovulation by using an ovulation testing kit. In addition, the woman will check her bodily temperature and her cervical mucus daily.

The next step in the process would be to look at the women's fallopian tubes to be sure they are patent. This is done by a test called a hysterosalpingogram. If necessary, the doctor may also perform a laparoscopy to check the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The physician will also check to be sure there are not any fibroids which may prevent pregnancy.