GOOD MORNING AMERICA – FERTILITY DIAGNOSTICS

GOOD MORNING AMERICA SEGMENT LINK

On Monday I was featured on Good Morning America to discuss Fertility Diagnostic Testing for women and men interested in understanding their current and potential fertility potential.  I think that having a sense of what is going on with your fertility is important to help women and men identify potential reproductive issues that may impact their current and future fertility.  Armed with this knowledge men and women can make better decisions for themselves about how they will face starting a family either now or later.

What didn’t get highlighted in the piece was the specific Fertility Diagnostic Testing Program at USC.

Here are some highlights from our website.

How does Fertility Diagnostic Testing work?

The Fertility Diagnostic Testing at USC is a flat fee of $150 per person that covers the costs of testing your fertility potential. For women that includes the three blood tests and the one ultrasound and for men that includes the semen analysis. Once your tests are completed, your results will be emailed to you within one week. A basic explanation of the results will be provided and a recommendation for consultation will be given if it is deemed advisable.  If you decide that you want further discussion of your results and future options, you will need to set up an consultation appointment with a physician and the fee is credited towards that consultation.

Fertility Diagnostic Testing for Women

Fertility for women declines with age. Both the quantity and quality of eggs declines as a woman gets older. Through a combination of three blood tests and an ultrasound of your ovaries we are able to determine your ovarian reserve, which reflects your age related fertility potential. None of these tests are 100% accurate. By doing multiple tests for ovarian reserve we are more likely to find out if there is an ovarian reserve issue, and that your fertility potential is diminished.

FSH

On day 2-3 of your period you will need to come to our office to have your blood drawn to assess your FSH level. FSH is the main hormone from the brain that tells the ovary to produce an egg. When a woman has less eggs, the amount of FSH that is secreted each month increases. An elevated FSH is predictive of low egg quantity, however because the monthly variability a normal result does not necessarily indicate normal egg quantity. An elevated FSH may indicate that your chances of getting pregnant are lower than expected for your age.

Estradiol

When you come to our office on day 2-3 of your period from one single blood draw we will also be able to assess your estradiol level. The estradiol level is used primarily to ascertain if the FSH value can be correctly interpreted. If the estradiol is elevated then it may mean that your ovaries have an advanced egg that month, which can also be a sign of ovarian aging. The elevated estradiol level will artificially decrease the FSH value, therefore the FSH is “falsely low” that month.

AMH

From the one single blood draw, we will also evaluate your AMH level. AMH is a hormone that is made in the follicles, the fluid filled sacs that contain your eggs. A high AMH is reflective of good egg quantity and a low AMH is found in women with lower egg numbers. Like FSH, AMH is reflective of your chances for success conception.

Ovarian Ultrasound

At your visit, a vaginal ultrasound will be performed that will evaluate your uterus and ovaries. The ultrasound of the uterus will evaluate the overall shape of the uterus and look for abnormalities that could impact your ability to carry a pregnancy. The ovaries will be examined for abnormalities and to count the number of follicles, in what we call your “antral follicle count”. A low follicle count is consistent with decreased fertility potential as it is indicative a lower quantity of eggs.

Fertility Diagnostic Testing for Men

Semen Analysis

The male partner is responsible solely or partially for infertility in 40% of couples. A semen analysis is a simple test to evaluate for male fertility potential. After abstaining for several days, a specimen is collected to test for number, motility and shape of sperm.

Take charge of your future fertility by having Fertility Diagnostic Testing done today!