Homeschool Facts

* Question: Is there a test to take for infertility?

First, a medical examination will be conducted to determine the presence of infertility. It usually starts with a physical examination as well as sexual and medical histories for both you and your partner.

After these examinations, your physician will begin to run some tests. Men usually undergo semen specimen tests where the sperm will be evaluated based on its quantity per ejaculation, its shape, and its movement (aka motility). Sometimes, other tests are also conducted such as hormone tests.

For a woman, the fertility specialist will try to determine whether or not she is ovulating properly every month. In order to determine this, she will need to either take her temperature and record it every morning along with cervical mucous texture using a home kit for testing ovulation. To check whether or not ovulation is occurring, you may need to take some additional tests. These tests may include blood tests to determine hormone levels and an ultrasound for checking the ovaries.

* Question: What medicines are used to treat infertility in women?

When a woman is having problems with ovulation, the medication Clomiphene Citrate is often prescribed. This drug is commonly used for women experiencing disorders such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or others causing complications with ovulation.

hMG (human menopausal gonadotropin) is the drug commonly used by women who are not ovulating correctly due to complications with pituitary glands. hMG acts directly on the ovaries to stimulate|to help stimulate ovulation.

In addition to hMG, women experiencing infertility problems may be prescribed medications such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). You will most likely receive these medications in the form of an injection.

Commonly combined with FSH, Metformin is often used for women with high levels of testosterone and male hormones interfering with ovulation.

Another commonly prescribed medicine, Bromocriptine is prescribed for women who have problems ovulating caused by high levels of prolactin, the hormone responsible for lactation.

* Question: Will my insurance plan cover treatment of infertility?

Even though there are insurance plans that cover infertility treatments, such coverage is generally dependent on where you live and the type of insurance policy you have. Presently, there are 12 states that have enacted laws requiring insurance providers to cover some form of infertility diagnosis and treatments, either fully or partially. These states are:

- New York

- Massachusetts

- New York

- Hawaii

- Maryland

- Maryland

- Illinois

- Texas

- Illinois

- Hawaii

- Arkansas

- Montana

For each state above, the laws enacted may differ in their coverage in addition to the types of treatments that may be covered. If you need further information regarding insurance coverage for the treatment and diagnosis of infertility, search online for the The American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Once on their website, click on the link for State Infertility Insurance Laws.

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