Fertility Testing

When you decide to pursue fertility treatment, the first thing you will have to decide is which practice you want to go to, and which fertility doctor you want to see. How do you know who will give you the best chance of a successful pregnancy and healthy baby?

Modern fertility treatments rely significantly on science to determine your cause of infertility and the best way to treat it. That makes the fertility doctors at any practice very important. You want them to have in-depth diagnostic experience, a thirst for new knowledge, and compassion for their patients. 

A board-certified reproductive endocrinologist has received the highest level of training in reproductive medicine. This position requires medical residency and examination in obstetrics and gynecology, followed by another three years of training in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, plus additional oral and written examinations.

Not all doctors who call themselves fertility specialists are trained reproductive endocrinologists. Learn more about the differences (and why they matter) here.

If you are diagnosed with the following conditions, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist is the best option for treatment:

• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Endometriosis
• Hypothalamic pituitary dysfunction
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
• Tubal factor infertility
• Male factor infertility
• Diminished ovarian reserve
• Fertility preservation
• Congenital uterine anomalies

Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions about your doctor’s background and experience to ensure you're choosing the best specialist for your personal situation.

This depends on your health insurance plan and whether the state you live in mandates fertility coverage (among other factors). At Illume Fertility, we assign each patient their own Insurance & Billing Advocate to help you navigate your insurance policy.

The following questions are a great place to start when speaking to your insurance carrier about potential fertility coverage:

• Are there diagnostic or testing requirements?
• Is IUI required before IVF? Will coverage include treatment for ovulation induction? Use of donor eggs or sperm? Surrogacy?
• What, if any, deductible must be met before reimbursement kicks in?
• Which state’s laws apply to your employer’s insurance contract? If you work in Connecticut, it may be a New York policy, for example.
• Make sure you understand how the company defines “unlimited.” It may mean that the treatment is deemed medically necessary, and you may need your medical team to advocate for you.
• What is the maximum lifetime amount that will be covered?
• Are medications included in the lifetime max?
• Is there a pharmacy deductible?
• What medical services go toward meeting deductibles?
• How do out-of-network services affect the deductible?

Learn more about affording fertility testing and treatment here.

On October 15, 2023, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Practice Committee issued a new definition of infertility.

Infertility is a disease, condition, or status characterized by any of the following:

• The inability to achieve a successful pregnancy based on a patient’s medical, sexual, and reproductive history, age, physical findings, diagnostic testing, or any combination of those factors.
• The need for medical intervention, including, but not limited to, the use of donor gametes or donor embryos in order to achieve a successful pregnancy either as an individual or with a partner.
• In patients having regular, unprotected intercourse and without any known etiology for either partner suggestive of impaired reproductive ability, evaluation should be initiated at 12 months when the female partner is under 35 years of age and at six months when the female partner is 35 years of age or older. 

Most importantly, ASRM adds, "Nothing in this definition shall be used to deny or delay treatment to any individual, regardless of relationship status or sexual orientation."

Learn more here.

Comprehensive fertility testing can help maximize your chance of achieving success in the shortest time possible.

At Illume Fertility, your first appointment will be with your primary reproductive endocrinologist, who will discuss your history, your partner’s history (if applicable), and how long you’ve been trying to conceive. Your will then discuss which diagnostic tests they recommend.

When you schedule your first appointment, one of our New Patient Liaisons will thoroughly explain everything you need to know about or submit ahead of time.

Your first appointment will typically be a virtual consultation. Learn more about what to expect and what to do to best prepare for your first big appointment.

Much of the initial fertility testing for women involves evaluating hormone levels. Blood work is performed to assess factors such as your level of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and can also detect hormone imbalances that may be preventing a pregnancy from occurring or continuing.

When hormone testing is concluded and analyzed, physical testing may begin, including:

• Basal antral follicle count
• Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)
• Sonohysterogram (SHG)
• Transvaginal ultrasound