Around 6.1 million American women have difficulty getting or staying pregnant. If you’ve had difficulty conceiving, you understand the pain and frustration that infertility issues can cause. At Women’s Healthcare Center of Chicago, Adeeb Alshahrour, MD, FACOG, provides compassionate infertility treatments to women in Chicago and Bridgeview, Illinois, and can support you in ways that provide the best chance for you to have a baby. To learn more about the various infertility treatment options, call the office nearest you or use the online scheduling tool to book an appointment today.
What causes infertility?
In some cases, there’s no clear reason for a woman’s infertility, but many infertility conditions are due to problems with ovulation. This can be the result of many underlying conditions related to the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus.
How is infertility diagnosed?
Your gynecologist at Women’s Healthcare Center of Chicago performs a physical exam, reviews your menstrual cycle history, and can order a number of tests to assess your fertility. These tests include:
Luteinizing hormone (LH) surge test
A surge of LH hormone triggers ovulation and measuring this hormone allows your specialist to assess your fertile period.
Hysterosalpingography
This X-ray procedure is a noninvasive diagnostic test that checks for blockages in your fallopian tubes and assesses the state of your uterus.
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol serum test
FSH and estradiol are important hormones involved in your reproductive cycle, and a simple blood test checks the levels of these hormones in your body.
Ultrasound
Women’s Healthcare Center of Chicago uses ultrasound technology to visualize the inner parts of your reproductive system without invasive surgery, to check for uterine fibroids and ovarian cysts.
Laparoscopy
This minimally invasive surgical procedure helps your specialist diagnose cases of endometriosis or other pelvic pathologies that may be the underlying cause of your infertility.
The practice can perform a semen analysis to assess infertility issues in your partner, too. They also assess thyroid function and the ovarian reserve of eggs in women over the age of 35.
Do I need to get tested for infertility?
If you haven’t conceived after a year of trying for a baby without using any birth control, get tested for infertility at Women’s Healthcare Center of Chicago. Since your chances of becoming pregnant decrease after the age of 30, women 35 or older can get a diagnosis after six months of trying to get pregnant, and women over 40 can get diagnosed even sooner.
What is the treatment for infertility?
At Women’s Healthcare Center of Chicago, any treatment for infertility is combined with lifestyle modifications that include, if applicable, eating healthier, stopping smoking, reducing alcohol and caffeine consumption, and losing weight.
Your doctor can also educate you on the appropriate times and frequency of sexual intercourse to better your chances of becoming pregnant.
Depending on the underlying cause of infertility, your doctor can recommend various treatment options, like:
Drug therapy
Medication can help balance your hormones or induce ovulation.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI)
These common infertility treatment methods increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
Surgery
The practice offers surgeries like laparoscopy to diagnose and correct issues that may result in infertility like blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, fibroids, or endometriosis.
If you’re having difficulty getting pregnant, you have many options. To understand which is right for you, call the office or use the online booking tool to schedule your first infertility consultation at Women’s Healthcare Center of Chicago today.
