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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Uk Fertility Testing - what can I expect?

31 replies

Mrsh176 · 10/08/2020 19:20

Soooo 12 months and nothing’s happened...doc has just approved us for testing.
I’m due to go for my first blood test this week - my cycles are textbook and OPKs and temping suggests I’m ovulating normally.
Could anyone outline the process, what happens after the blood tests / semen analysis?
Making the appointment kinda feels like admitting defeat and we’ve got a long road ahead :(

OP posts:
Original poster
Mrsh176 · 10/08/2020 21:10

Aww how good, I’m from South Yorkshire :)
I’ve literally just had a phone consultation due to covid and then day 2 bloods on Thursday. Are you due any results from the bloods or is it after both tests you hear back?
Feel a bit deflated :( I’ll update this post!

OP posts:
welldonesquirrels · 10/08/2020 21:08

Hi, I've been through the full battery of tests, plus ivf. It was a couple of years ago but I'll try to put down everything I remember.

Pre clinic referral, I had smear and std tests, blood tests for standard stuff (thyroid etc), bloods for a cycle day 21 progesterone. Scan wise, I had ultrasounds and an HSG, which is where they squirt dye into your tubes to check if they're open. This was all arranged through GP.

DH had bloods (testosterone i think) and semen analysis. His showed poor morphology score but otherwise ok.

Then we attended fertility clinic appointment, further bloods to check ovarian reserve (i think) and a further semen analysis, by which point DH morphology had slightly improved. They had mentioned possibility of a hysteroscopy but this never happened in our case. I may have had another ultrasound, I can't totally remember. Diagnosis was unexplained infertility in our case and we had IVF in the end.

I think the whole process from initial gp appointment to treatment starting was maybe 3 or 4 months - it wasn't too drawn out.

Apologies if I've missed anything out, it's been some time now but hope this helps. It was all nhs, and our experience was really positive.

LS2020 · 10/08/2020 21:06

Also background for us is similar. We’re 27, relatively healthy except my weight (I’m size 12-14 so not huge) and regular cycles etc. Came off depo 18 months ago now and period came back fine so don’t think anything from that

LS2020 · 10/08/2020 21:05

@Mrsh176 looking forward to seeing responses on this as just for my first test day 21 bloods done today and just started the process ourselves. OH is in for his sperm analysis a week on Friday.
We’re West Yorkshire and been pleased with how quick it’s been since we called the other week. My next GP apt isn’t til next weds tho at which point I’ll have missed day 3 bloods time so not sure if I should ring and check. Let me know how you get on with drs!

Original poster
Mrsh176 · 10/08/2020 20:04

Thanks so much for replying!
How long after his test did you find out he had a low count? Hope your journey is progressing, thank you for your help.

OP posts:
itsmschanandlerbong · 10/08/2020 19:43

Not sure where you are, I'm in Scotland so it might be slightly different. I had some blood tests (hormone and thyroid I think) which were fine and was referred to the fertility clinic. Whilst there I had an ultrasound scan of my ovaries which found a large cyst which needed removed before treatment, although wasn't the cause of our fertility issues. DH had a sperm analysis which showed a low sperm count. He also had some blood tests and a testicular ultrasound. I then had an operation to remove the cyst and whilst there had a lap and dye (basically dye put through my tubes to check they were clear) then we were referred to another clinic for a specific type of ivf called ICSI. It actually felt like a relief being referred.