Basal Body Temperature...When a woman ovulates her body temperature increases slightly until the end of her cycle. Because everything you do can impact your temperature, the only way to do this is to take your temperature with a basal thermometer immediately upon waking and before getting out of bed everyday. The first part of the cycle (which begins on the first day of menstruation) should have slightly lower temperatures than the days following ovulation. See http://www.fertilityfriend.com/ for an easy way to chart your temperatures.
Ovulation test strips...These are similar to a pregnancy test except they test LH (luteinizing hormone) instead of HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). LH rises 24-48 hours prior to ovulation. A positive test means that having sex at that point would be optimal timing. (You know...like on the commercials)
Laparoscopy...A gynecologist makes 2-3 small incisions into the abdomen and looks inside to determine if there is any obvious cause of infertility. While in there they can sometimes remove scar tissue, endometriosis etc. with a laser. To see your insides better, they blow you up like a balloon...weird.
Hysterosalpingogram...A dye is used to fill the uterus and the fallopian tubes. An X Ray takes pictures of the dye as it travels up and out of the fallopian tubes. If it spills from both tubes, it proves that both tubes are actually open. It is possible that this test may improve fertility in the next few months because of the cleaning of the tubes. Not to scare anyone, but ouch. This test is extremely painful but only for as long as it takes to know you are in pain...and then it stops.
Sonohysterogram...Similar to the HSG above, but an ultrasound is used instead of an X Ray and saline instead of dye. This is used to check tubes, uterus, and endometrial lining.
Vaginal ultrasound...Large probe covered in large condom is placed in the vagina and gives a better view at female reproductive organs than the traditional ultrasound. Good news...it is done with an empty bladder. Bad news...it is vaginal.
Semen Analysis...Sample of semen is obtained (the old fashioned way...no electric prod or anything) and sperm is counted. Normal is around 20 million per ml and around 80 million per ejaculate. Motility and morphology are also observed. Motility is amount of movement, rate and direction. At least 50% should be moving after one hour...and preferably in a straight line. If less are moving a stain can be done to look at the dead sperm. Morphology is the size, shape and appearance. Two hundred sperm are analysed for defects in the head, body, tail, and size. Often one test is not enough because sperm are highly influenced by illness, stress, and activity.
Testicular Ultrasound...Just like it sounds. An ultrasound is held on the man's testicles to look for blockages or Varicoceles (vericose veins of the testicles). Up to 40% of male infertility is caused by Varicoceles.
IUI...Intrauterine insemination (not artificial insemination...I'm not sure but possibly that's what it is called for cattle?) A woman's cycle is monitored to accurately predict ovulation (often with the assistance of fertility drugs). When the timing is correct, the man produces a semen sample which is washed (all good sperm are used and poor ones are discarded) and it is put into the woman's uterus using a small tube. There is also Superovulation which is IUI but with similar drugs to an IVF cycle. IUI is often how multiples occur. If the woman has more than one egg from the drugs there is an increased chance that they will become more than one baby. However, this is not how Octomom had eight...that was an incompetent and unethical transfer of way too many embryos from IVF. IUI alone costs about $200-400 per cycle. Superovulation costs approximately $1000-5000 per cycle.
IVF...Invitro fertilization is when a woman's cycle is completely controlled by inhaled, injected or vaginal medications which cause the body to produce an increased number of eggs. Those eggs are then fertilized either by placing the man's sperm in the dish or by ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) which is the injection of one sperm directly into one egg. Embryo(s) are then transferred back into the woman's uterus and if implantation occurs the pregnancy is maintained by vaginal drugs for another 10-12 weeks. Finally the pregnancy continues on its own. IVF costs approximately $10000 per cycle. The above photo is of an embryo the morning after it was injected by one sperm. You can tell it was successfully fertilized by the two bubbles in the middle.
Like I said before....this is a very simplified explanation for a very complex science. But at least you now know what I am talking about.
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