Infertility Specialist

How is infertility diagnosed?

Infertility is diagnosed if you haven’t become pregnant after one year of regular, unprotected sex. In women over the age of 35, infertility is diagnosed after trying to get pregnant for six months without success. To identify the cause of your infertility, Dr. Chen completes a thorough physical exam, possibly including a pelvic exam, and an infertility workup.

What is an infertility workup?

An infertility workup is a series of tests that are performed to determine the cause of infertility. In most cases, Dr. Chen begins your workup by obtaining up-to-date blood work, including a serum progesterone test.

The serum progesterone test is a simple blood test to assess whether you’re ovulating or not. This test is typically performed on day 21 of a 28-day cycle. Your menstrual cycle may vary from 21-35 days, so understanding your cycle is important when scheduling the test. Dr. Chen can help you learn how to track your menstrual cycle if you’re unsure.

If the serum progesterone test shows that you’re not ovulating, Dr. Chen reviews your blood work and overall health to identify a cause. When you’re ovulating, but there aren’t obvious causes of infertility, he may recommend a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery to check for the presence of endometriosis or other factors that may be blocking your fallopian tubes or preventing a fertilized egg from implanting in your uterus.

How is infertility treated?

In some cases, thyroid dysfunction and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may prevent you from ovulating. Dr. Chen provides treatment for these conditions -- including appropriate medications, nutritional counseling, and lifestyle advice.

For cases that involve endometriosis or fallopian tube damage -- whether from a previous tubal ligation or another pelvic surgery or infection -- Dr. Chen performs an appropriate laparoscopic surgery to correct the issue. Common surgeries include:

Tubal cannulation

A tubal cannulation is a nonsurgical procedure to open blocked fallopian tubes. Dr. Chen uses a thin surgical wire, balloon, or catheter to gently open your fallopian tubes. This can be done after a hysterosalpingography, which is an exploratory procedure to determine if the tubes are blocked.

Tuboplasty

A tuboplasty is a surgery to open the fallopian tubes. This can be performed as an open surgery or a minimally invasive robotic surgery. A tuboplasty may be performed when the fallopian tubes are blocked by endometriosis or scar tissue from a previous infection or surgery. In some cases, a tuboplasty can reverse a tubal ligation.

Fimbrioplasty

A fimbrioplasty is a surgery to reconstruct the structures of the fallopian tubes that house unfertilized eggs. It is performed when tubal factor infertility is the cause of infertility.

To schedule an infertility consultation, call the office or book online with Dr. Chen OB-GYN P.A.