At Fertility First, we recommend seeking medical advice from your GP or a specialist if you haven’t achieved pregnancy after 12 months of trying, or after six months if you’re over 35.
In some circumstances, we suggest obtaining fertility advice even earlier. These include early menopause, polycystic ovaries, irregular or absent menstruation, a history of endometriosis, current or past cancer treatments for either partner, or a prior vasectomy for the male partner.
Female fertility testing encompasses a range of assessments, including hormone analyses, ultrasounds, and other specialised tests, to determine the quality and quantity of your eggs, the status of your reproductive organs, and your overall reproductive potential.
The results of these tests play a crucial role in understanding and addressing potential fertility issues, providing valuable insights that will inform our recommendations for you.
When investigating male fertility, we usually start with a semen analysis. Studies show that about two-thirds of men with fertility concerns have some type of problem with sperm production, whether quantity or quality.
At Fertility First, we are one of the few Australian clinics who routinely test for sperm DNA fragmentation, giving you a more complete picture of your sperm health.
Fertility testing involves a series of diagnostic procedures to evaluate both male and female fertility. For women, it typically includes hormone testing, ultrasound scans, and assessing the health of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus. For men, semen analysis and hormone testing are often performed.
The length of time varies depending on the specific tests needed. Some tests, like semen analyses for men or hormone blood tests, can be done within a few days. More complex tests, like hysterosalpingo-contrast-sonography (HyCoSy) for women, may take a few weeks to schedule and complete.
We aim to have your fertility test results back within 2 to 3 weeks, which we will discuss together during a consultation. From here we can talk about what the test results mean for your next steps with treatment, whether that means surgery to confirm a diagnosis or treat a fertility barrier, whether some lifestyle changes might help to improve your chances of pregnancy, or whether it’s appropriate to proceed to fertility treatments such as IVF.
The fees for fertility testing will depend on which specific tests are required. Basic tests always include a blood test for both men and women, a semen analysis for men (including DNA fragmentation tests), and a pelvic ultrasound for women. Depending on the results of these investigations and your medical history, we may organise more advanced testing which may incur additional fees.
Infertility is defined as the absence of a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected intercourse.
Fertility issues affect about 1 in 6 Australian couples of reproductive age. A national survey found that this has been the same for the last 3 generations of Australians.
