Infertility is defined as a couple's inability to achieve a pregnancy after one year of regular unprotected intercourse, or after six months when the woman is over 35. It affects about one couple in six, and in roughly half of cases a male factor is also present.
Why the investigation always covers both partners
Fertility is a matter for the couple. Even when a clear cause is found on one side, a second factor may well coexist on the other. For that reason the investigation begins in parallel for both partners, so that the treatment plan rests on a complete picture and no valuable time is lost.
The two strands of the investigation
- Investigation of the woman: hormone testing, assessment of tubal patency, and evaluation of the uterine cavity and of endometrial receptivity.
- Investigation of the man: hormone testing, semen analysis and, where needed, specialized sperm tests.
The work-up is stepwise: it begins with simple, non-invasive tests and moves on to more specialized ones only when the findings call for it. The results are always interpreted as a whole and individually, never on the basis of a single value.