We’re taught at a young age how not to get pregnant, which is why many people are surprised to find out how difficult it can be when they are ready to grow their own family. There are several factors that contribute to why someone would have a hard time conceiving, but did you know that there are a variety of tests that can give you an idea about what your reproductive potential is today, and estimate what it could be in the future?
Understanding your own fertility is so important if you plan on having kids someday. Dr. Allison Rodgers joined the Time to Talk Fertility Podcast to share some important (and sometimes surprising!) facts about fertility and fertility testing.
- Why is fertility awareness important?
- Can you share any fertility facts that are often surprising to patients? (e.g. Women are born with all the eggs they are ever going to have, and by the time a woman is in here 30s she only has about 10-15% of the eggs she started off with; there is a slight decline in sperm number and motility when men hit a certain age)
- When is the best time to get your fertility “checked out?”
- What fertility tests are performed at FCI as part of the “Fertility Awareness Check” and what do they tell you?
- Can you identify conditions like PCOS and endometriosis with fertility testing?
- What should you do if you get tested and have an atypical result?
- What are the options for someone who gets tested and finds out they have low ovarian reserve?
- What are the options for someone who has low sperm count or atypical motility or morphology?
- Will a person’s results change over time?
- Who should get tested?
- Is it beneficial to get tested even if you are single?
- What about it you’re in a same-sex relationship?
- Should someone get tested if they aren’t sure about having kids in the future?
- There are several home kits available for fertility testing. What’s the difference between using a home test and going into FCI or your doctor’s office to get fertility testing?
- If you go through fertility awareness testing at Fertility Centers of Illinois and decide to pursue treatment, do you have to do testing again?
- How much is a “Fertility Awareness Check” at Fertility Centers of Illinois?
- Does the test go through insurance?
- Anything else you would like to share?
The Time to Talk Fertility podcast releases new episodes monthly and is available on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play and Spotify.
Medical contribution by Allison K. Rodgers, M.D.
Dr. Allison K. Rodgers is board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and has been practicing medicine since 2004. She completed her residency at Case Western Reserve-Metrohealth Medical Center/Cleveland Clinic, followed by a fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio
