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* Question: How do you test for infertility?

On your first visit to a fertility specialist you will receive an examination to determine to what extent the infertility problem exists. The fertility specialist usually begins with a physical exam. You will most likely be asked to provide a history of the medical and sexual histories of your partner and yourself.

After these examinations, your physician will begin to run some tests. Men usually undergo semen specimen tests where the sperm will be evaluated based on its quantity per ejaculation, its shape, and its movement (aka motility). Sometimes, other tests are also conducted such as hormone tests.

For a woman, the physician will try to discover whether she is ovulating properly every month. To determine this, she can either record her temperature every morning and her cervical mucous texture, or she can use a home ovulation test kit. Checking ovulation may also require some other tests. These tests may include blood tests for hormone levels and ultrasound tests on the ovaries.

* Question: What kinds of medicines do doctors use for treating women’s infertility?

When a woman is having problems with ovulation, the medication Clomiphene Citrate is often prescribed. This drug is commonly used for women experiencing disorders such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or others causing complications with ovulation.

hMG (human menopausal gonadotropin) is the drug commonly used by women who are not ovulating correctly due to complications with pituitary glands. hMG acts directly on the ovaries to stimulate|to help stimulate ovulation.

A few other drugs for ovaries such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) may also be prescribed for women experiencing difficulties with fertility. These drugs are usually administered by injection.

Metformin is generally used to treat women with high levels of male hormones which interfere with ovulation. Metformin may be combined with FSH.

Another commonly prescribed medicine, Bromocriptine is prescribed for women who have problems ovulating caused by high levels of prolactin, the hormone responsible for lactation.

* Question: Will my insurance plan cover treatment of infertility?

While you will find insurance plans that do cover infertility treatments, such coverage is usually dependent on where you live and your insurance coverage. At the time of this writing, already 12 states have enacted laws mandating that insurance providers cover some form of infertility diagnosis and treatments, either in full or in part. The states that have passed such laws include:

- New York

- Texas

- New York

- Hawaii

- Maryland

- Ohio

- Illinois

- Montana

- New York

- Hawaii

- Montana

- Hawaii

For each state above, the laws enacted may differ in their coverage in addition to the types of treatments that may be covered. If you need further information regarding insurance coverage for the treatment and diagnosis of infertility, search online for the The American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Once on their website, click on the link for State Infertility Insurance Laws.